Gem Force
by Zaley.Love
Summary: Just when Dr. Oliver thought his 'ranger' days were over; he's forced right back into them, along with a blast from the past that will offer even more challenges than a new team.
1. Dr Oliver

**Zaley Love:** Just some quick facts; this is my first 'Power Ranger' fan fiction ever. I will mix in some of the original characters every now and then, but don't be surprised if I only use a few 'real' characters and then most of my 'own'. I adore Tommy/Kim, my heart broke with Tommy's when he got the letter. I NEVER watched anything other then 'Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie', that had Kat in it. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Kat; I just can't stand the thought of Tommy with someone who isn't Kimberly. This 'Gem Force' is MY idea, I did not steal it from anyone. I came up with it in a dream, oddly enough. This story doesn't start in this year, it actually starts back in 2004, after the Dino ranger days. But I'll not spoil the plot with hints, snip-its, or clues!

No, sadly though; I do NOT own Power Rangers (Saban does though!). I wish, but I'm not THAT awesome. I do own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot, and -for sure- three of the five* main characters (i.e Charlie, Gwen and Edmund).

(*Number subject to change)

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**Reefside, CA.**

The sounds of a door opening and closing echoed throughout the empty house, causing the male to pause for a moment and just look around. School had just let out for winter break, leaving the teachers with little to do if they were people like Dr. Thomas Oliver. Yes, the former power ranger or many colors was finally done with the ranger work. It had been seven months since the destruction of the dino gems, and even during the span of seven months; he hadn't gotten used to the quietness of his house. He partially missed the constant presence of the four teens and Hayley. Oh, alright so the last one was his own fault. Though he still wasn't entirely sure what he did to make Hayley leave, but it was big enough in her mind. Had it really only been two weeks ago that Hayley was smiling over the couch at him as he made up some dinner? Shrugging as he set a load of papers on the counter, Tommy ran a hand through his neatly trimmed hair and made his way to the fridge.

Okay, so he may have said the wrong thing a few times, but did she really have to go to the extremes of 'never-seeing-you-again'? He'd about had enough of those departures to last him a life time or two. But did it show on the outside in any way? Never! Tommy was too strong to appear weak in front of people. No, he was a leader through-and-through. And even at nearly twenty-six years of age; he could still hold his own in any fight. He was the longest running ranger, much to Jason's chagrin. He half smirked at recalling the conversation between Jason and himself a year ago. Wait, had it really been a year since he'd spoken to his 'best friend'? Tommy shook his head, the first thing he was going to do after a nice warm shower, meal and sleep; was take a trip down to Angel Grove for his break. What better way then to surprise Jason? He wouldn't mind, Jason was _always _trying to convince Tommy to visit him. So why not now? Sure he had been distancing himself from Angel Grove for the past few years, but it would be nice to visit for a change... get away from everything in Reefside for awhile.

With this in mind, Tommy set to work finishing the remains of a salad he'd brought home the other day, his eyes trailing the mantle. For some reason he couldn't help but keep pictures of his different 'teams' up there. It was a reminder of how he came to be who he was today. At some times a painful one, but on good days; just a reminder. He glanced at the pictures starting with the most recent.

Hayley and the 'Dino' bunch. It was odd how he'd spent so much time with them on their team, and even though they all still went to high school where he taught; he only ever saw them in class and briefly around the school. Everyone seemed to be catching up on all the things in life they'd missed while being Rangers. This thought made him smirk. Had he ever really gotten the chance to live a 'normal' life, or was being a Ranger the 'normal' thing for him?

The next picture was of the Turbo Rangers. He hadn't been a part of that team for too long. Tommy remembered the ambush vividly in his mind, and never once regretted passing on his powers to T.J. It was the right thing to do, and T.J. was just the man to take his place. He nodded, not really in a hurry to get to the shower. He was now content to mull over his photos and just remember.

His Zeo team came next, allowing himself a soft chuckle as he took in the picture. In this one he stood next to Kat, his arm casually about her waist. She was quite the beauty, still is; or so Jason claims. He thought at one point he'd be with her 'forever' but then realized that they were too different. They both wanted different things after high school, so they went their separate ways. But that also gave Jason a shot at her later in life, and from what Tommy heard last; they were still going strong. He reluctantly took in the next pictures, different emotions building up inside his chest as he did.

There were a few different variations of this 'team'. Kat in a picture, Rocky, Adam and Aisha. Then the picture with Jason, Zack and Trini still on the team. Of course, try as he may; his attention was brought to the petite brunette standing next to him in two of the pictures; one with him in green, the other with him in white. But no, it didn't stop there. Tommy -for whatever reason- couldn't bring himself to remove the photo of just him and this petite brunette from his mantle. In this picture, He was sitting on the ground under a tree with his legs spread, the female pulled as close to him as she could be sitting in front of him. Both were laughing, and an unreadable expression seemed to be captured in their eyes. She was his first love, and though he wouldn't admit this to anyone; his only _real _love. The girl who could brighten his day just by being there, the girl who he shared his first kiss with. The girl who ripped his heart in two; Kimberly Anne Hart.

Tommy took the picture in his hand for a moment, them placed it face down on the mantle. Sure enough, behind that picture was the faded paper. He didn't need to read what it said; he had read it several hundred times since first receiving it. Tommy could feel his knuckles pop as he closed his hands into fists, his teeth clenching. Quickly, he turned from the mantle and toward the hallway. The last thing he needed was to let ANY of those feelings resurface. No. He was stronger then that. Besides, he'd gotten over her. Tommy shook his head, grabbing a towel and some clothes from his drawer before heading into the bathroom for his shower.

After a good ten minutes in the shower, Tommy was out and dressed. A pair of black sweats was all he wore, wiping the mirror clear to brush his teeth. Just as quickly as all the unwanted feelings and emotions rose; they were gone. For someone to be able to handle their emotions so well, one would think he'd suffered nothing at all from the letter now. But that wasn't true. There was always something inside him, whispering to him that he wasn't good enough. His inner demons were not as kind as to let him forget, even if he could suppress most of the emotions; his anger still showed through. But was it anger toward her, or himself?

Just as this thought occurred; there was a shattering sound in the living room. Tommy reacted out of habit, taking a fighting stance as he opened the door and stepped out. He walked down the hallway, and turned in time to see the broken window, but was thrown back against the wall as a strong force met his chest; knocking the wind out of him. For a moment Tommy sat dazed, then shook his head. But before he had time to react; an excruciating cry ripped from his lips as something plunged into his chest. He felt a jolt of energy seeping through his body before passing out.

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(Alright, so this is my first installation to the story, please review! Everything is welcomed! Just a heads up, the first chapters are going to be more of a glance at each character, just like this one. But after the first few chapters, things are going to start mixing up in a way that I hope we can all enjoy. Thank you!

~ Z.L.)


	2. Charlie Vance

**Zaley Love: **Well I'm very satisfied with the results of my first chapter, and had the muse to start on the second chapter! My chapter installments aren't going to have a set time or day when I post, it will mostly be whenever I've got a chapter ready. If I find no free time during the day, I'll be writing into the night to give you all a chapter. Thanks for the support!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_The morning before_

"CHARLIE!"

The shriek was loud enough to wake the dead, or just an overly tired young man who was _trying _to get some sleep. With stiff movements, the muscular male slipped out of bed and leaned against the door tiredly; turning the lock before sinking against the cool, wooden frame. Sleep began to take him once again, not at all being bothered by the fact that he was sitting upright. But his sleep would be short lived. He could hear the sound of feet trudging up the stairs, and to his door no doubt. The door shook, waking the man with a start. A grin etched his lips as he just pressed against the door. This was the natural course for his morning to take, especially when the old crow was in.

"Now, now Mrs. James; you don't have to talk like that." Charlie taunted behind the locked door, thankful for the deadbolt blocking him from the woman's wrath. There was no way he'd be making it out the front door this morning.

"Charlie, you get your lazy carcass out of my house this instant!"

He casually glanced at the clock, shrugging at the late hour. He'd slept clear through the morning, and would already be two hours late for work. Oh well. He didn't _need _to work anyways. Standing, Charlie ignored the shouts on the other side of the door as he pulled off a gray t-shirt. He would take his own sweet time in dressing, just to annoy the woman. She wouldn't cause him any bodily harm... at least not any _lasting _bodily harm. Most likely she'd be waiting with a broom to shoo him out of her house. He could tell that he would be needing to find a new place to sleep tonight. But then again; it wouldn't be the first time.

As all became quiet outside the door, Charlie shook his head; quickly pulling on a red graphic t-shirt. Knowing Mrs. James; she only left to get a key. He would have about four minutes to finish dressing and make his escape out the window. Smirking, Charlie quickly pulled on his shoes and flung open the window. Only pausing to grab a jacket before stepping out onto the roof. Easing the window shut, he walked along the roof until he could reach the tall maple tree in the neighbor's yard. One would think with the ease he did this that Charlie wasn't new to this form of an escape. And you'd be right.

Charlie Vance was a street smart guy, with a knack for getting into trouble; who could help that? But in the small town of Angel Grove, it wasn't easy to stay under the radar with a knack like his. People who saw him running around, dodging officers and running around on roof tops. He was a regular trouble maker with a mind for the theatrics. But he was always only a recent addition to Angel Grove. No one knew of his past, which he so cautiously protects. But oddly enough; most people didn't care. They were too busy with their own lives and worries. Why would they care to check up on the newest trouble maker in town?

Charlie whistled a tune as he strolled past the youth center, ignoring the stern glances from the two police officers standing at their cruisers. Charlie gave a casual wave, making it seem as if they good friends. That was just his way of being annoying. Besides, what else was he to do whilst being bored? Charlie continued on in his way, heading to the park for a stroll before a late lunch. It was a nice change from the following morning, where he'd been run out of Ernie's just over some casual flirting with a chick on the beam. Like he knew she was taken! She didn't seem to mind the attention, so what was the harm in it? But today? No, it was a nice, quiet afternoon, leaving much to be desired. To say the least; Charlie was bored.

He only spent about fifteen minutes in the park, succumbing to his hunger and opting for the burger joint in the 'lower' part of town. That was Charlie's favorite part of town. It was where all the excitement was, as well as all the trouble. But that was just his comfort zone. Rounding a corner, a grin graced his lips at the sight of the burger joint. By now his stomach was protesting loudly at having to wait for food so long. He'd skipped out on dinner last night, and slept clean through breakfast and lunch. A late lunch would have to suffice for now. Walking in, Charlie gave a nod to the waitress and headed to his usual booth, when a pair of strong hands forced him down into a chair.

"Charlie, long time no see." He rolled his eyes, exhaling silentlyat the voice.

"Yeah, you're looking great Vince." The man sitting across from Charlie looked at him with a mixture of admiration and disgust. The two were friends that wouldn't hesitate to cross the other.

"Cut the small talk Charlie. You know I only talk to you when it can benefit me." He sneered, causing Charlie to glance at the man with a crooked brow.

"Well, what's in it for me?" He inquired, smiling at the waitress as she set down his usual order before him; burger with ketchup, mayo and onions, fries and a large cup of soda. With a nod from Vince, Charlie began to devour his meal, not caring for table etiquette at this time. He was hungry, and was going to eat in whatever way that suited him.

"If all goes well, you could be looking at a ten percent cut. We're doing damage control for a friend. Bust a few heads, a broken bone or two; nothing serious. But it has to be posed as a robbery, so we'll be relieving this couple of a few valuables. You in?" Vince stated casually. That was Vince for you, he could make even a murder sound like a miniscule detail to a plan. But he knew how Charlie felt when it came to hurting people. He frowned.

"Vince, you know you're one of the only guys I'm afraid of, but come on; the head busting isn't my thing." He stated, setting down his burger and downing the last of his soda. Okay, so Charlie was a small time crook; but who wasn't these days? Vince looked over his 'friend' and shook his head.

"Charlie, I promise you won't have to do any of the head busting. Show up a at two, watch us bust 'em up, then help us grab and split the loot." With the ease of how the man spoke, any idiot could tell that he was not to be told 'no'. There was something about the tone in Vince's voice, something that suggested it would be in your best interest to say 'yes'.

Charlie knew only too well what could happen if he refused, so he resigned himself to say yes.

"Alright, but I want a fifteen percent cut; none of this ten percent crap. You know I'm worth more then that man." He said, allowing half a smile to edge onto his lips. The best was to react to men like Vince was with ease and humor. Vince leaned back, tapped his chin and smiled.

"True. Alright, get here at around one, we want to go over the details before hand."Vince stated with a nod, standing and sending the rest of his 'guys' out.

"Your meal's on me, but don't disappoint me Charlie; I know your neck of the woods better then you'd think." Vince warned with a punch to Charlie's shoulder, then left.

A knot had formed in Charlie's gut, he knew there was something Vince wasn't telling him about this job... something he knew he'd take the fall for. Vince was true to his word in many aspects, but Charlie was his fall guy. And he got paid handsomely for being that guy. That was the way their 'friendship' worked. Though friendship wouldn't be the right word for it, it was more of a convenient business proposition. But it was obvious _who _it was more convenient for. And it sure wasn't Charlie. But being the guy that he was, Charlie couldn't exactly say 'no' to Vince. Vince was like the mob boss of the tiny league of crooks in Angel Grove. And Charlie was just one of those guys that wouldn't be missed if he got on Vince's bad side. With a sigh, Charlie, now no longer hungry; left the low rate restaurant and headed for a walk.

_Hours later..._

It was ten minutes till one and Charlie found himself taking the back alleys through Angel Grove. They were empty, and offered Charlie plenty of time to collect his thoughts. If he didn't show, Vince would have him take the fall without any pay or way to get out of jail the following morning. Either way, he'd end up in jail. But if he went willingly on Vince's side, he'd get bailed out and would be handed a large summed check as well. So, he figured that going along was the lesser of two evils. At least for him. But either way you look at it; it was still wrong.

Charlie jumped as a metal trash can rattled, a startled cat streaking off down another alley. Most people didn't see this side of Angel Grove. But it was also considered to be the outskirts of the town. Connected, but not in the minds of the uppity citizens. Charlie shook his head, he'd escaped the phoney lives of the 'upper class' in favor of the thrill brought by being one of the petty crooks. His mind was traversing in this fashion, when something sharp pierced his chest. Falling backwards in pain, Charlie fought to remain conscious, but his world faded to black with on simple though; Vince would pay if this was from him.

* * *

(Alright, so this is the introduction of my own character; Charles 'Charlie' Vance. I hope he's not too droll or boring. And I'm sorry for those of you who were expecting this chapter to pick up from Tommy. I want to write a chapter for each individual character before explaining what's going on. Please review, thanks for the feedback, and thank you for reading!

~Z.L.)


	3. Gwen Stacey

**Zaley Love: **Hopefully I'm keeping these first chapters interesting. Do you think they're too short though? Am I missing something, a certain spark or flare you're looking for? Feel free to let me know! I'm open to all ideas and suggestions! As for now, here comes another chapter!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

"Order up." A petite female said cheerily, placing two plates in front of a couple. Lengthy brunette hair was pulled back in a pony tail, and her attire consisted of jeans, a light purple shirt, and white apron that read "Ernie's Juice Bar" on the front of it. A pair of faded converse graced her feet, and an ever present smile seemed to be a talent she possessed. Anyone who came within ten feet of her and caught sight of her smile, felt the need to smile as well. Gweneth had that affect on people.

"Gwen, would you mind manning the counter, I've got some errands to run." Her boss, and stout short man named Ernie, stated, walking around the front of the counter and shaking his head.

"No problem Ernie." Gwen said with a smile, taking her tray and walking around to the back of the counter. The youth center was the hot spot during the winter break, though she accounted most of the activity to her aunt's friend Jason Scott. Right now he was teaching a self-defense class to some kids who ranged in ages from eight to twelve.

She chuckled. At one point; she'd been in the class herself. But that was years ago, now she was a twenty year old female who was lucky enough to have a great job under Ernie. She owed that to her aunt Katherine, who seemed to have enough connections in town to get Ernie to gladly accept the help. Gwen smiled, waving to some of the regulars as they took their seats.

"Smoothie's guys?" She asked, a brow raised cutely.

"Maybe just one, we have to be ready for duty and all." The thin one said, adjusting his shirt collar. Both were dressed in police uniforms, Bulk and Skull. Apparently they were friends of Jason's during high school... or something like that. They were always in the juice bar at this time of the day, namely because of the new classes being taught that tended to bring in more people. It helped to have some men in uniform to enforce the peace.

"Alright, two smoothie's coming right up guys." Gwen said sweetly, turning and making quick work of the fruity drinks. Okay, so her smoothie's weren't at Ernie's standards yet, but people still enjoyed the difference. Or at least she was told they did. Either way, she was working on that.

"One banango and one cocolime smoothie; on the house." Gwen handed each their smoothie with a smile and watched as they took them to their usual table. She usually gave them their smoothies on the house, simply because they were the only people who actually enjoyed the ones she made. They said it was a refreshing change from the old flavors. Why not spare them the price? Ernie didn't mind, he encouraged giving free stuff to the civic members of the community. So naturally, Bulk and Skull were her first choices. Another set of customers entered, so Gwen continued with the task at hand; smoothies.

"Thanks again Gwen." A male said with a nod, taking his smoothie over to one of the more secluded tables, as per usual.

"No problem." She said airily, not noticing the smile on her face. Gwen was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed her aunt come in.

"Gwen, anyone in there?" The Australian blonde said with a smile, running a hand in front of her niece's face. Gwen jumped lightly, but smiled at Kat and hugged her from behind the counter.

"So, who's he?" Kat asked casually, noticing her niece's blush.

"Oh, that's Edmund. He comes in here everyday with whatever new book he's reading." Gwen said, turning in hopes of disguising her blush.

"Gwen, you like him; don't you?" Kat teased gingerly, not wanting to upset her.

"Kat! Don't say things like that. Besides, he comes from a large family and doesn't pay much attention to anything but books." Her eyes traced the familiar trail to where Edmund sat, sipping a smoothie as his eyes took in the words on the page in front of him. Gwen had only been crushing on him since she'd moved to Angel Grove, seven years ago.

"I'd have to be a book to get him to check me out." She admitted with a sigh.

"Don't be so sure. Guys like him just aren't the type to risk stepping out of their comfort zone without encouragement." Kat said, leaning against the counter with a smile. Her gaze wasn't on Edmund or Gwen though. It had drifted over to where Jason stood, showing the kids a new block. She shook her head, remembering how he taught her that same block a few years ago.

"Trust me, some guys just need more encouragement than others." She wasn't just saying that either. Both Tommy and Jason had needed lots of encouragement before either had asked her out. Though Kat wasn't the 'hopeless romantic' type, Gwen was. Gwen reminded Kat so much of Kimberly.

"Remember how long it took for Jason to finally ask me out?" She mused, her attention shifting back to Gwen with a smile. Gwen nodded, but her gaze was on her hands. Okay, so maybe she would need more uplifting.

Kat bit her bottom lip for a moment, then smiled as she saw Jason approaching.

"Jase, just the person we need." She said, accepting a peck on the lips from her boyfriend. Jason raised a brow, taking a seat at the counter and glancing between Kat and Gwen.

"What's up?" He posed as Kat motioned to Edmund.

"Gwen has a crush." She mouthed, not wanting to say it out loud in front of Gwen.

"Oh." Jason said with a nod, looking to Gwen as she rolled her eyes.

"He doesn't even know I exist." She sounded so distressed, reminding Jason of how he'd felt while Kat was with Tommy.

"Hey." Jason said, lifting Gwen's chin with his hand to make eye contact.

"Any guy would be insane not to notice you." This earned a smile, and Kat continued.

"Besides, he knows your name, so I don't think you're _that_ invisible." She finished as Ernie walked in through the door, carrying a few paper bags with some different fruits in them.

"Why don't you go give that couple a refill on their drink, and stop by his table to chat?" Kat suggested, watching as Gwen turned this idea over in her mind several times before shrugging.

"Well... I guess I could do that." She stated shyly, grabbing her tray and placing two pitchers on it, one soda and one water. Gwen passed Edmund's table, heading for the couple who needed refills. Kat gripped Jason's hand in horror as she realized what was about to take place.

"Jason!" Kat whispered, as he turned and jumped up.

"Gwen, look out!" But it was too late, as she turned someone stood up under the tray, knocking it onto Gwen. With a large clattering of tables, Gwen shrieked as the water and soda hit her.

Gwen slipped, hitting her back against a table, and now she sat in a mixture of soda and water under that table.

"Oh my gosh." She breathed out, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she quickly tried to stand, only to slip once again. But by now, Edmund was at her side and caught hold of her arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked, a worried expression caught in his brow.

"I'm... I-I'm just gonna go now." Gwen stuttered out, pulling away from Edmund and running out of the Juice Bar. Edmund looked after her, but simply sighed. When his sisters got embarrassed, he was the last one they wanted to see.

"Hey Ernie, you've got a mop right?" He asked, setting down his book and picking up the fallen tray and pitchers.

"Yeah, I'll get it." Ernie said with a shake of his head, glancing to Kat and Jason.

"Shouldn't you go after her, make sure she's alright?" Kat nodded, but Jason tapped her arm.

"Let's give her a few minutes to collect herself, we owe her that much."

Gwen shuddered, her apron and shirt had been soaked clean through. There was no living that one down for today. Taking off her apron, Gwen draped it over her arm and paced outside for a few minutes to relax. Things like that always seemed to happen to her. And yet, she still found a reason to smile through it. Gwen caught sight of her reflection in a car window and couldn't help but laugh. She looked as if she'd been caught in the rain, but only her torso. Gwen shook her head, and smiled at hearing her name. She could tell that Jason and Kat would follow her, so she went to sit on the tailgate of Jason's truck, her back to them. The next turn of events was a surprise to all of them. One moment she was laughing at herself, and then next she was thrown down in the back of the truck and let out a scream.

Jason and Kat, walking hand in hand, smiled as they watched Gwen settle on the tail gate. Kat rested her head on Jason's shoulder with a smile. He brought her hand to his lips and was about to kiss it when he saw something heading for Gwen. Before he could even think, whatever it was struck her. Gwen screamed, and was flung down in the bed of the truck.

"GWEN!" They cried out in unison as they sprinted to the truck in time to see a white colored shard, about four inches long; sink down into Gwen's chest.

"What the..." Jason trailed off, quickly running to check Gwen's pulse. Relief washed over him at the feel of a steady pulse.

"She's alive, but what was that THING that went inside her?" He looked to Kat, all astonishment.

"Jason... I'm going to call Billy."

* * *

(Okay! Another cliffhanger, many apologies but it's not time to explain everything yet. There are still some introductions to be made before everything comes together. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I had fun writing it! But was it too short? Was it lacking something? Don't be afraid to leave feedback! Thanks everyone!

~Z.L.)


	4. Edmund Blithe

**Zaley Love: **Okay, so yes; I'm trying my best to get up the initial first few chapters so we can get done with the introductions. And I promise, the chapter after this one will be the last 'introduction' chapter. The ones to follow after the next introduction should be much more interesting, since the characters will be interacting more and getting on with the plot. Thanks for bearing with me!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

At the sound of movement, a male jumped awake; only to get struck by a pillow.

"Gotcha!" A child squealed with delight, tossing down the pillow in favor of clinging to his older brother.

"Edmund, momma said that I was going to get big and strong like you. How did you get big?" Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Edmund patted his youngest brother on the back and chuckled.

"Slowly, I had to eat all the vegetables on my plate and listen to mom and dad." He stated with wide eyes, giving a smile as he began to tickle his little brother.

"And lots of tickling. So if you want to get big and strong Dan, you'll have to be tickled a lot." The child's laughter rang throughout the house, causing twin girls to smile.

"No fair, Dan gets all the attention. Why doesn't Edmund tickle us mom?" In the kitchen, an elegant looking middle aged woman smiled to her young daughter.

"Perhaps it's because every time Edmund opens his mouth around you two, he gets an earful of complaints. Besides, isn't thirteen a little too big to fit in his lap?" She teased softly, brushing some hair from her girl's face.

"Edmund, PLEASE stop! I-I I can't BREATHE!" Dan pleaded between laughing and gasping for breath. Edmund released his little brother, watching the seven year old scamper out of his room and down the hall to the safety of the kitchen.

"Edmund, breakfast!" He heard his mother call out. Edmund smiled. At Twenty years of age one might think he'd have moved out, but no. Edmund enjoyed the pleasures of staying at home. He got to spend his free time with his parents and five siblings; what could be more enjoyable then that? Well, other then some alone time with a book at the youth center.

"Coming mom." He hollered out as he changed into some jeans and pulled on a deep green button down striped shirt. Running a hand through his messy hair, he smirked.

The scent of sausage and toast wafted in the air, causing his stomach to grumble. His mother sure knew how to start the morning!

"Wow, where's their food?" He teased with a wink to his mom, Dan froze to stare at him, unsure of the jest.

"Edmund, is that all _your _food?" He inquired, his sweet innocent voice seeming generally confused. Edmund smiled, shaking his head.

"Nope, it's all _yours_ Danny. Do you mind sharing with all of us though?" The seven year old seemed to be in deep thought on this one.

"Well... alright. But just this once." He said, giving a nod as he took a seat at the table. His mother chuckled lightly as she shook her head.

"Oh Edmund, don't you go making him think he can eat everything." He pecked his mother's cheek and just smiled.

"Never. I'm going to eat and take a shower; is there anything you need me to do today?"

After a noisy breakfast and a quick shower, with his mother's permission, Edmund dressed and headed for the library. He was on winter break so he wouldn't have to commute to the university at all for the next two weeks. This gave him some much needed free time, so he decided to stop by the library for a decent book. After selecting a book, he'd likely go to the youth center. Maybe get a smoothie if Gwen was working. With a quick few strides he was at the door to the library. The librarian glanced up, but simply smiled, Edmund was one of the regulars at the library. What could he say? Growing up with many siblings, he enjoyed the quietness that the library offered. Not to mention the books. Books were something Edmund enjoyed immensely, never tiring of a good read or two.

Spending nearly two hours in the library, Edmund finally resurfaced with a decent sized book in his hands. It was actually one book that held multiple books inside in. 'The Chronicle's of Narnia' by C.S. Lewis. Of course he'd read this series several times before, but when you found a good read; why stop at one time? So, with his book selected, Edmund made his way toward the youth center. It wasn't a long walk, and actually a very enjoyable one at that. He took the route that led him through the park, past the lake and straight to the front of the youth center that housed Ernie's Juice Bar.

Walking in Edmund couldn't suppress a smile seeing Gwen at work. She had been in every one of his classes throughout high school, and middle school. But other then her name, and little facts he'd learned from her growing up, that was about all he knew. Well, that, and the fact that her favorite fruit was an orange, she loved the beach at night, autumn weather and her favorite time to be outside was when it was raining. Okay, so maybe he knew much more about her then he let on. But could you blame him? She possessed one of those smiles that radiated the room, causing everyone else to smile. Gwen had always seemed to at peace, shy and pure. Not like most girls you meet in high school. He'd always expected her to go to college and do something amazing, but she turned down all offers of college just so she could stay with her aunt after her mother passed away. And now, Gwen seemed content to stay in Angel Grove.

Gwen spotted him with a smile, causing him to reciprocate without a thought as he approached and nodded. He didn't even get a chance to ask for a smoothie before Gwen turned away and began mixing one up.

"Cherry lemonade with a lime inside." Gwen said, presenting the cool drink with a flourish. He smiled; was he that predictable?

"Thanks again Gwen." He said, taking his drink and heading toward his usual table in the back. It was the most secluded table, perfect for just being alone. Taking a sip he nodded, looking up as he spotted Kat getting a hug from Gwen. After Gwen's mom passed away, Kat was the closest thing Gwen had to a mother, and you could tell they were close. He took another sip from his drink and continued on with his reading.

He must have been completely engrossed in his book, because the next time he realized everything around him, it was when a loud crash sounded a table away. Jumping up, he saw Gwen sitting under a table covered in soda and water. He furrowed his brow, watching as she attempted to get up. Upon noticing she was going to lose her footing, Edmund hurried over to her side and caught her arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked, a worried expression caught in his brow.

"I'm... I-I'm just gonna go now." She stuttered out, pulling away from him and running out of the Juice Bar. Edmund looked after her, but simply sighed. When his sisters got embarrassed, he was the last one they wanted to see.

"Hey Ernie, you've got a mop right?" He asked, setting down his book and picking up the fallen tray and pitchers.

"Yeah, I'll get it." Ernie responded, pausing to exchange some words with Kat and Jason. Edmund shook his head, taking the tray and pitchers up to the counter in exchange for the mop.

"Don't worry about it, I'll deal with it." Ernie told him with a nod, not wanting to make Edmund feel compelled to clean the mess.

Edmund retrieved his book and decided perhaps it was about time for him to head home. Besides, his arm had gotten a bit sticky from catching Gwen's arm. He smiled. He didn't mind getting sticky if it meant he'd stopped her from falling again. He walked outside, releasing a deep breath as he watched Jason and Kat following Gwen to the truck. He'd just turned to go when he heard her scream, whirling around he watch as Kat and Jason ran to the truck and checked on her. Edmund froze, not wanting to leave, but also not wanting to intrude. He heard Kat say something about calling someone, and then he saw stars dancing before his eyes as his back hit the pavement.

"What the- AHHHH!" He cried out, a sharp pain in his chest causing him to pass out. Kat jumped, nearly dropping the phone at her ear. She looked to Jason, but he'd jumped out of the truck and was sprinting toward the entrance to the youth center. There, non other than Gwen's Edmund lay in a heap, a green shard protruding from his chest before sinking in.

"Hello? Kat are you still there?" She heard Billy's voice and bit her lip as she fought to calm herself.

"Billy, something really weird is going on. We need you to come and offer us an explanation. Gwen and her friend Edmund are both unconscious, and we're not sure what happened!" She rushed out as Jason approached, Edmund slung over his shoulder.

"I don't get it Kat, what were those things?" He grunted, laying Edmund in the back of the truck and closing the tailgate.

"Tell Billy we'll be at my place. You ride in the back with them." He stated, moving toward the driver side to fire up the truck. Kat nodded, following him and speaking to Billy.

"Jason said we'll be at his house, but please Billy, hurry. I'm scared." Kat admitted, trying to ignore the fact that her eyes were watery. Jason lifted her into the back, pecked her forehead and hopped into the front seat.

"I'll be there." Billy said urgently, hanging up the phone and grabbing a few things before rushing to his car.

* * *

(Alright, so there's Edmund. Some of you probably saw this one coming after me mentioning him in the previous chapter. But I don't care, I adore him! XD Oh, if you'd like to see a picture of the team, check out epiclittlebeka18's deviantart. I asked her to make an image for me, and she kindly complied with something I absolutely love! Only one more introduction chapter left, and then you'll be getting some answers. Thank you!

~Z.L.)


	5. Kimberly Hart

**Zaley Love: **So this is the final introduction chapter, the following chapters will be more explanatory on what's happened to them all! And with Billy on the job it shouldn't be too hard!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Fresno, CA**

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" A petite brunette spoke hastily into her phone, brow creased. The female on the other end assured her that they would handle everything.

"No, Jason's got everything calm, and Billy is running some scans on them as we speak. So far as he can tell, there's been a spike in their energy, a very strong one at that. But he said it shouldn't have caused them any permanent damage. He's very confident that they'll be fine... I just wanted to explain why I wouldn't be making it out tomorrow." Kat spoke with a tired tone. Glancing at the clock on her wall, Kimberly sighed. It was roughly half past twelve now, the teens had been unconscious for the past five hours. But Kat seemed positive that they would be alright.

"Okay, but if there's any change you have to call me. If you don't, I'll just assume the worst and drive over." This had the desired effect on Kat, making her chuckle softly as she offered promises of calls. After a quick chat with Jason, Kim said her good byes and shook her head. This was just too weird. What had Jason called them, 'shards' or something like that. But either way, it sounded creepy.

Kim surveyed her surroundings and shook her head at the empty apartment. She'd been living in Fresno for the last two weeks, and it was boring. She rarely got to see Kat or Jason, Trini visited her occasionally, but the others seemed to be distancing themselves from her. Well, at least Aisha seemed to be. But Adam had helped her with the move and Rocky had even called to express well wishes. It was all lovely, but the one question Kim wanted answered was the one she'd never ask. And the others knew it would be better to stay off of the past as a topic, so they seemed to be content to let her live without knowing. But what did she care anyways? She'd moved on and past it. She and Kat were best friends now. No hard feelings there. Kimberly gave her hair a toss as she pulled her legs up under her on the couch. She wasn't the same girl anymore. Many things had happened to change her, but she wasn't so completely altered. Just a few broken dreams away from who she was all those years ago. Had it really been ten years since her first ranger days? At twenty-five years of age it sure didn't feel that long ago.

With a sigh, Kim turned off her music and leaned into the couch. She partially wondered if the others who had forgiven her had done it out of pity. Did they know what she'd gone through? Of course Kat, Trini and Jason knew, but did they tell Adam and Rocky? She hoped not. It wasn't something she needed broadcast. Besides, she was fine. There wasn't even a scare anymore, how lucky could she get? Kim sat up, moving from her couch and into the kitchen for a glass of water. Taking a swig from her bottle of water, Kim allowed her eyes to traverse the small space, stopping on the blanket at the bay window. It had been a gift from Trini and Kat. With all the time Kimberly spent convincing them that she was great, they felt compelled to give her something they'd found about a year ago. It was a reversible blanket. One side was white with a pink crane, the other was pink with a white falcon. Kim snapped from her thoughts. No, not a falcon, a white _crane. _Why would that even come to mind? Shaking her head, she removed the blanket and sat at the window, pulling her knees up under her chin. No, she wasn't the same crane anymore. The crane inside her had died the day she lost her falcon, though she wouldn't openly admit that to anyone.

Kim pulled the blanket around her shoulders and hugged her knees, fighting off the urge to cry. She could still here him whispering her nickname as if it was yesterday. "Hey there Beautiful." So simple, and yet it could melt her heart. Now though, it tore her apart inside. Knowing she'd caused so much pain to someone so dear was a hard thing to swallow, and she'd never forgiven herself. If anything, Kim suffered more from her guilt and inner demons, even after eight years of telling herself she'd dealt with it. She was over it. Wasn't she? Okay, so she hadn't been on a date in at least... three years, but you didn't have to date to be fine. Besides, guys couldn't keep up with her, apparently. According to Rocky. Of course he'd only been jesting, but she'd taken it to heart more then anyone knew.

"Whoa." Kim exclaimed, landing hard on the wooden floor under the bay window. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she knew that was the last time she slept in the window seat. Everything seemed to ache; her back, legs, shoulders, and most of all, there was a soreness in her chest that she refused to believe was anything more then a simple stomach ache. But inside she knew just what it was, and much to her chagrin, she was able to solidify her suspicion as she glanced at a picture on her desk. It was of the team after Zack, Trini and Jason left. Kimberly's eyes lingered on the male she stood next to, her chest tightening sharply as she turned away, making a run to her bathroom. She turned on the shower and stepped under the water, clothes in all. Her teeth shuttered as the water warmed up and she sighed. The pit building in her stomach only momentarily forgotten. It would return. Kim sank down against the wall, frustrated with herself as she realized she wasn't just crying; she was in hysterics.

"W-what's w-w-wrong wi-th m-me?" She sobbed, hiccuping as she did. Kim only ever got the hiccups when she was very upset. This bothered her. She'd been doing fine for eight years, so why now break down? What was so different today? She let her mind fill with questions, never finding an answer, and just sat under the pouring water. She would have likely remained this way for over an hour, but her phone rang. Without caring that she was dripping wet, Kim shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, making her way to the kitchen phone.

"Hello?" She answered, sounding rather stiff. A cool breeze swept through her window, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stick up.

"Kim, I was calling with the intent of delivering some good news, but you sound rather melancholy... would you like to speak with Jason?" She smiled, hearing Billy speak was calming for some reason. Perhaps it was simply how he spoke.

"Well I'd hate to make you feel left out, but talking to Jason would be really great right now." She admitted, never having been a good liar.

"Sis, are you alright?" Jason's voice came through the receiver, and something in Kim snapped.

"Oh Jase, I don't know what's wrong with me!" She said, sounding as distressed as he felt. Tears sprang to her eyes as she stifled a sob.

"It's just so hard right now, and it's never been this hard, what can I do?" Her voice begged him for help, and it broke his heart. Kim was never one to lose control of her emotions, at least she hadn't in eight years.

"Oh Kim, I'm sorry. But I don't know what to tell you other then this; get your butt out of the apartment and move back home. I've always got a room for you, and you know that Kat does too. You really shouldn't be alone... it can be my Christmas present." He offered, hoping she'd at least consider it. The line was quiet, and Jason knew she was thinking. Angel Grove was the last place she would probably want to be during this breakdown of hers, but it was where she could be around people who loved her. The people who would make sure she got through things alright. And she was like his little sister, where else should she be other then staying in his house? Well, his or Kat. He knew Kat wouldn't mind either way, but it would be up to Kim.

Kim took in this idea and felt as if she'd received a blow to the gut. Angel Grove? Was he serious? That was the _last _place she ever wanted to be calling home.

"I don't know Jase..." She said hesitantly, not wanting to hurt the man she looked to as an older brother.

"I'll have to think about it. Look, thanks for the offer, I'll call you if I make any decisions. But I'm late for a meeting, I've got to go." She lied, knowing she would hate herself forever. Lying to Tommy had been hard enough to live with, so why was she lying to Jason? Shaking her head, they expressed their goodbye's and Kimberly hung up, clutching her stomach. She glanced at her wet clothes and sighed, walking to her bedroom and changing.

After changing, Kim had called Adam and talked for a bit before grabbing out a pink suitcase and heading to her room. After about and hour, Kim came out wearing a pair of khaki's and a black form hugging top. Over the tank she pulled on a crimson colored coat. After brushing through her layered hair, Kim picked up her suitcase and headed out of her apartment. She locked up, then tucked the key in her pocket. Glancing at her watch, she knew she'd be arriving at Jason's late. It was already half past five, and she had a good three hour drive that she would likely drag out to be at lease five hours. Kim couldn't fight the resistance inside of herself. But she would get there. She knew that it would be just as hard to deal with her loneliness if she was actually alone, then it would be to deal with in Angel Grove.

It was five minutes to nine, and Kim just drove past the 'Welcome to Angel Grove' sign. Oddly enough, she found herself smiling. Even if it was short lived. She'd only just driven through the town and was driving out to Jason's rather 'secluded' house, when something shattered her windshield and plunged into her chest. A pain filled cry echoed through the night as Kimberly passed out, her now speeding vehicle clipping a tree on the side and then running into the railing. It promptly pulled the railing down the hill with it as the car flipped, the pink suitcase being thrown from the vehicle. Once the car stopped moving, it rested on the driver side. The petite female inside didn't move.

* * *

(Okay, so there it is! The last of the introductions! I tried to finish this earlier so I'd be working on the next installment tonight, but got sucked into reality. I still might work on it, but am feeling sick at the moment. =/ Hope you all enjoy it! Review please!

~Z.L.)


	6. Chance Encounter

Zaley Love:

Wow you guys are awesome, thanks for the favs and watching! Also, I'd like to take this time to clear something up. Kimberly was NOT raped. I realized -due to some amazing feedback- that her intro could be taken to mean that she was. But that is not so. And I just felt compelled to clear that up. Now, back to the story!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_On route to Jason's house._

Tommy, after much deliberating, had decided to go to Angel Grove. He couldn't explain what had happened to him two nights ago, but he'd woken up that morning in a house with a shattered window. Nothing was missing, so whatever happened; it wasn't a robbery. Tommy knew it must to have to do with something out of the ordinary. But when did anything 'ordinary' ever happen to him? So, after getting the window covered with some boards and packing a suitcase, Tommy found himself making the drive to Angel Grove a little after eight-fifteen. He knew how to get to Jason's house, though it was a pretty tricky house to find. So far as he knew, only people who were good friends knew how to get there. Tommy sighed, not feeling any different since the other night. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He felt amazing, charged and wired. He hadn't felt anything like this in the past seven months, leading him to believe that whatever hit him had something to do with being a ranger. It wouldn't surprise him. It seemed that power was drawn to this former ranger. He'd worn more colors then all of his comrades.

Driving slowly through the town, Tommy allowed himself a little pleasure in just taking in the sights. He wasn't in a rush, besides; knowing Jason he'd probably be up late anyways. As he passed the youth center, Tommy felt himself wanting to see Jason sooner. Oddly enough, he felt that being around Jason would help him keep his emotions more under control. Tommy wasn't one to be open with his emotions when he was around others, so being around Jason would definitely keep him straight. Turning on his radio, Tommy grimaced as it began to rain. Ten minutes after nine and it was pouring. Tommy slowed down as he neared a curve. Deep inside him, he began to sense that something was wrong, and as he drove he began to notice little things. A tree had been side swept, and down the road the railing was missing; looking to have been pulled down with a vehicle. If this had taken place earlier that day, there would have already been some tape up and a sign warning of the missing railing. That was just how things in Angel Grove worked. But there was nothing, so Tommy stopped. If a car had gone off the edge, there was likely someone down there. He a grimace at the thought of getting drenched, but pushed open his door and slid out. Rain pelted him, and he was soaked all the way through before even reaching the spot where the car went off. Looking down, he saw what looked to be a suitcase, further down he spotted the silver range rover he assumed it flew out from. Tommy's ranger instincts took over as he began to make his way down the hill, his phone at his ear as he dialed 911.

The car looked to be in bad shape, and Tommy found himself pitying the owner; they'd have to buy a new car for sure. There would be no fixing this one. All the windows were shattered, broken glass littered the grass around the wreckage. The car lay on the driver side, Tommy surveyed the bottom of the car as he walked around, eyes instantly darting to inside the car. No one was in the back, or the passenger seat, but it looked like the driver was still in the seat, a seat belt being the only thing that could have kept her from being thrown. Tommy ignored the small hindrance in him that suggested this female seemed familiar. He ducked down to the windshield and reached a hand in to check her pulse. It was slow, but it was a pulse. Tommy shook his head as he leaned in, pulling out a Swiss army knife and

cutting the seat belt. It may have saved her, but now it was keeping her inside the vehicle when she needed medical attention. That much was obvious, there was a gash where he assumed she'd knocked her head on the window. The rain made it hard to see, but Tommy pulled the woman from the car and froze. She felt familiar to him, her frame, the weight of her in his arms... she felt as if she belonged there. Tommy tightened his grip around her as he began the trek up the hill. He didn't need to see her face to know who she was. Reaching the road once again, Tommy walked to his car and laid her on the seat, now taking in the face of someone he'd only seen in photographs for the last seven years. There, in his car was none other then Kimberly Ann Hart, the girl he'd been trying not to think of. And now, he found himself doing what he was good at; saving her. Why him? He clenched his fist as he turned from her, being unable to look at her unconscious frame any longer. Sirens wailing alerted him of the approaching help. Tommy stood in the rain, making a few connections as he pulled out his phone. Jason would have some explaining to do.

_Jason's house..._

"Jason, Kimberly isn't answering. Did she say anything to you?" Kat asked, sitting in a chair next to her niece as she watched the steady falling of the girl's chest. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the girl, she was simply sleeping... and had been for the past thirty-one hours. Yes, something wasn't right there.

"Well, she said she had to go to a meeting." Jason stated casually, taking a print-out to where Billy sat hunched over a keyboard. Kat's brow furrowed as she looked to Jason.

"Jase, Kimberly is off work for the next three weeks. Are you sure she said that?" She asked, turning back to look at Gwen's peaceful looking face. If she was in pain she showed no signs of it. Jason, turned to look at Kat, then muttered under his breath about 'killing that silly girl, her and her pranks'. Kat watched him head up the stairs and she shook her head. Knowing Kimberly, she'd be at their door for an hour before knocking. And it was obvious that Jason believed Kim was in fact, in Angel Grove. But she wouldn't have arrived already, wouldn't she?

"Don't hurt her too badly Jase." Kat teased, shaking her head as she looked to Billy. His face looked deep in thought as he stared at some flashing lights.

"Kat, I think there are more people who've suffered similar incidents as Gwen and Edmund. I've locked onto the energy spike and rerouted a satellite-" Kat held up a hand, knowing if Billy got started in his tech speak she'd never get him stopped.

"Please, in English?" Billy turned from the computer to offer an apologetic smile, and brought over a printout.

"I mean to say, that there have been two other spikes of energy following the same pattern as Gwen and Edmund. One in Reefside, and another in Angel Grove." A beeping noise caused him to return to the computer, shaking his head.

"Make that two in Angel Grove."

Jason looked outside and shook his head. If she had come, where was she? He walked out the door, taking in the cool night air. It was pouring rain, so he stayed under the porch. An eerie silence seemed to be seeping into the air, causing Jason to shudder. He shook his head. Kim probably turned back about five times. Knowing her, she'd likely be another hour. Jason walked back into the house, or started to when he heard some sirens. Part of him always wanted to jump into action at the sound, but he wasn't in spandex anymore. Shaking his head, Jason headed back to the living room where they'd set up a work area for Billy. On the tables they set up in the kitchen lay Gwen and Edmund. They'd called Edmund parents, merely saying that Edmund was going to be helping Jason for a few days. It wasn't hard for them to believe, but Jason did feel bad about lying.

"Jase, Billy said there have been other 'energy spikes'. Two in Angel Grove and one in Reefside." At the mention of the town where Tommy taught, there was no doubt in his mind that it was Tommy. He chuckled, shaking his head as he looked to Billy.

"Guess this has something to do with rangers?" Billy shrugged, not positive on anything just yet, but he did have his suspicions.

"That wouldn't surprise me Jason, it seems that Tommy has a very strong magnetic pull to those forms of power. Perhaps we should consider calling him. It's been three days since the first surge in Angel Grove, and two days since the Reefside one." Jason nodded, understanding most of what Billy had said. As he picked up the phone, it rang, causing Jason to raise a brow.

"Hello?" He said casually, glancing out the window. The sirens were gone already.

"How long have you known?" Jason exhaled sharply, turning to look at Kat.

"It's Tommy." He mouthed, rubbing his forehead.

"Tommy, what are you talking about?" He couldn't pretend that he didn't know why Tommy was angry, there had only been one thing he'd lied about to his friend that he knew would upset him. And that was the information about Kimberly.

"Don't insult me by lying Jase, or did you really not know _she _was coming to see you? But you had to know, how else would she be able to find your place?" Jason froze in his tracks, he looked out his window in search of Tommy's jeep or Kim's range rover. But neither was outside, so what was Tommy talking about?

"I didn't call to yell at you... Kim was in an accident, they just got her to the hospital." Jason couldn't read the emotions in his friends voice, but he could tell Tommy wasn't happy.

"We'll be there." Jason said motioning for Kat to come to him.

"We're not good here Jason, I _will_ be talking to you about this." And with that, the line clicked. Tommy hung up on him, not that Jason blamed the man. He'd lied to him about the one person they'd promised to be honest over; Kimberly. But he didn't have the heart to tell Tommy, not when he knew Kim couldn't handle seeing him. Jason was the only one who knew about Tommy's trip to Florida. It was after graduation, he'd gotten there only to decide that he didn't have a right to pop back into her life. When he came back he told Jason that he got as far as the parking lot to the gym. But he never went in. He never told him if he saw her or not. But for whatever reason, Tommy came back, then distanced himself. Kim never said anything about seeing him, so he knew there wasn't a confrontation.

"Kat, Kim was in an accident on the way over here. Tommy apparently was on his way as well and came upon the wreckage... I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do when I get there. I don't want to leave the kids alone, so you or Billy should stay." He said, pulling on a rain jacket, zipping it up as Kat and Billy exchanged looks of worry.

"If Tommy's there, I think he'll want to do more then talk, so I'll come. Billy will you call us if they wake?" She asked, grabbing her own jacket and taking Jason's arm.

"Affirmative, just be sure you keep everyone alive Kat." Kat nodded, following Jason's lead to the door.

"I will." She said, pulling the door closed behind her.

* * *

(Okay, so at first I was going to have Jason find Kim, but then thought of a perfect way to blend Tommy into the story. Hopefully this isn't a disappointment for you all! Thanks for the support and feedback, please review!

-Z.L.)


	7. Hospitals and Secrets

**Zaley Love:** I had lots of free time today, so here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Tommy's Jeep, in route to the hospital..._

The radio in Tommy's jeep blared loudly, as he was doing his best to drown out his own thinking. Particularly the part of him that was missing the feeling of her in his arms. No, they couldn't be that way again. It wasn't for them. Maybe once, but not anymore. Or at least, that's what Tommy told himself when he needed to keep his emotions in check. Jason was so going to hear it from him. Lying to him all this time about her. The one person he'd only ever asked someone to be honest with him about, and all he got were lies. Not cool, especially since the lies were coming from his 'best friend'. Tommy sighed, ignoring the discomfort wet clothes brought on. Part of him wished he'd never decided to come, but then was choked out by the thought that she could have been there for a day before being found. The thought of Kimberly being trapped in a wrecked car caused his stomach to tighten. No. He would not let his feelings rule him on this. Halfway to the hospital, Tommy was ready to explode. These feelings were all thrown into a jumble as a song came on, causing Tommy to nearly rip the radio out of his car. "Wait For You" by Elliot Yamin. He had sent this song to Kim in an email the day after she left for Florida, and it had been an instant favorite of the two. But after the letter, he honestly hadn't heard it until now. With annoyance, he quickly turned off the music. At one point, even after the letter he had thought he'd wait for her. But as the years went by, he could never learn anything of her from his so called 'friends', so he'd given up on that thought. Apparently, she didn't care for him.

If she was in contact with Kat and Jason, he wondered who else she was talking to... who else had lied to him. She probably had all the details on him, he doubted Jason would keep anything from her. They were like siblings. He shook his head, she probably hadn't even bothered to ask about him. Kim had moved on from him, hence the letter he'd received. The faded letter that sat on his mantle behind a picture of them. Lost in his thoughts, Tommy passed the hospital the first time and had to turn around. Only Kim could keep his thoughts in such a jumble that he'd get frustrated enough to scream. Why her? Why was she the only girl he couldn't get over? Hayley, his most recent flame, was gone and he wasn't even missing her. He'd even gotten over Kat. But it seemed that Kim was bound to be one person in his past he couldn't get over. Perhaps it was because she'd broken up with him... by a letter. He pulled into a parking space and slammed his door shut, taking his anger out in little wisps. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle by now, not that Tommy minded. He was already soaking wet. He walked up to the doors and stopped. Not ten feet in front of him, they had Kim on a stretcher. A nurse was cleaning the wound on her forehead. She looked as if she were sleeping, not unconscious from an accident. There was something about seeing her on a stretcher that made it hard for Tommy to keep his cool. And it hit him, the answer to his questions of 'why'. He loved her, and he'd never ceased to love her, not even after the letter. He'd only learned to repress the feelings, not extinguish them. He sighed, this would be hard to go through. How was he supposed to silently deal with loving her when she was this close?

"Tommy." He heard Jason's voice and everything vanished; the understanding of his feelings toward Kim, his worry and anxiety at seeing her hurt. No, it was all replaced with a burning anger toward this man who'd lied to him. He only turned to face them after Kim was taken out of his line of vision. Tommy's gaze fell upon Jason, then Kat. They were obviously worried, but he wondered who Kat was more worried about, Kim or Jason? He clenched his jaw shut and stared at Jason for a few minutes before closing the space in between them. Jason kept an expression of worry on, but Tommy also caught a small glint of fear. He knew Tommy better then most, so he couldn't pretend to think that Tommy wasn't mad. No, mad was an understatement, Tommy was furious.

"Well at least you have the decency to look genuinely sorry." Tommy said in a hard tone, his gaze not wavering from Jason. The man met his gaze, but before he could open his mouth to offer any form of an explanation, Tommy found he was unable to stop from sending a good right hook into his best friend's nose. Kat shrieked as Jason fell backwards, stunned for a moment before shaking his head and gripping his nose.

"Tommy, don't you think you could have let him explain first?" Kat said, shooting an angry glare at her ex-boyfriend as she helped Jason stand, taking the towel a nurse offered for Jason's bleeding nose. Jason shot a quick glance to silence Kat as he looked at Tommy, wiping his hand off on the towel before pressing it to his nose.

"We can do this later Tommy, I want to know how you found her... is she alright?"

Jason nodded as Tommy explained his coming to Angel Grove. They were sitting in an empty hall outside Kim's room. She'd been deemed alright, but it looked like her system have suffered some shock from the accident. The doctors would let them in the room after she was all settled. So, they'd been using this time of waiting to get stories from Tommy of his arrival. He told them of how he was planning on surprising them the the day before, but how he'd been hit hard with something two nights ago, and only woke up that morning. Tommy watched as Jason and Kat exchanged glances that seemed to say more then they thought.

"What's with the secret looks guys? Haven't we had enough of those for now?" He said, looking directly at Jason. It was obvious that he was going to get answers, even if they would come later and not now. But he still wasn't going to let them live it down.

"Well..." Jason paused, glancing about to be sure there weren't any unwanted listeners.

"Kat's niece Gwen and one of her friends have been unconscious for the last thirty-two hours. They were struck by some shards that sank into their chests and disappeared. Billy said that these shards also give off an energy spike, and was able to trace that there were two spikes before Gwen and Edmund, and one after. Five all together, four in Angel Grove, and one in-"

"Reefside, right." Tommy finished, fingering his chin. So his hunch about this being out of the ordinary was right.

"So,does Billy think this has something to do with 'Ranger' business?" He questioned in a hushed tone as a doctor stepped out of Kim's room. They ceased speaking as he approached with a smile.

"She's stable, and sleeping. It's way after visiting hours, but I'll let it slide tonight. You can all go in if you want." They nodded, standing as he left them alone.

"He's not giving away any more information then what he knows for sure, but he's thinking it there's not much else it could be." Jason stated, his voice having a nasal rasp to it. Though the bleeding had stopped, his nose was still red and hurting. Tommy hadn't broken it, but he might as well have; it hurt just as bad.

"You guys go ahead, I'm going to get something to drink." Tommy told them, some hesitation in his voice as he looked at the door. They didn't blame him, Jason knew Tommy didn't do well at seeing Kim in a hospital. Even if they weren't exactly speaking for the past eight years, he still cared about her... that much anyone could see.

"Alright." Jason said, following Kat into the room, leaving Tommy with his thoughts in the hallway.

The sight of Kim in a hospital bed once again pained Jason more then even his aching nose.

"I hate seeing her like this." He stated, shaking his head as he walked to Kim's right side and looked at her. Other then the steady rise and fall of her chest, she didn't move. They said she was sleeping, but that offered little -if any- comfort.

"Don't worry Jase, I'm sure she'll be fine. Kim won't go down without a fight. Don't forget what she's been through." Kat spoke softly, taking a spot on Kim's left side, pushing the hair from Kim's face. Jason nodded, thinking of the last time he saw Kim in a hospital. For most of the rangers, that would have been after her incident on the beam at the youth center, but for him -as well as Kat and Trini- it was three months after the letter to Tommy. By then Kat and Tommy had been dating, and drifting apart. He wasn't the Tommy she'd first met, so it wasn't long before they split. Jason shook his head, pushing the memory of Kim's bruised form from his mind. She'd been through more then most people would actually believe if they'd been told. But he and Kat knew exactly what she was capable of... she was stronger then most thought. To many she was the damsel in distress, to them; she was a silent fighter.

"Jason, don't dwell on that, there was nothing anyone could have done. None of us could have seen that coming... don't beat yourself up over it." Kat stated, moving to his side and taking one of his hands.

"You're right, but still. I can't understand how it went unnoticed. Not even so much as a light blinked when she was taken." Jason said, about to continue when Kat squeezed his hand, alerting him of Tommy's presence at the door. His face wore a look of confusion, but it was obvious he wasn't going to get anything out of them. They dodged his gaze to look at Kim. Kat's cell phone rang, and she answered quickly, recognizing the number as Billy's.

"Jason, Gwen's waking up!" Kat shared excitedly, the relief evident on her face.

Tommy stood in the hospital room alone, doing his best to keep his gaze anywhere but on the female sleeping peacefully in the bed. Jason and Kat rushed out to check on Gwen and Edmund, saying something about Billy locating the other two in Angel Grove who'd been the cause -or rather, receiver- of an energy spike. So, Tommy had been left alone, with more questions than answers. What had they meant Kim being taken? Taken where? What was with all this secrecy from them lately? He shook his head, leaning against the frame to the window with a sigh. Try as he might to fight the need inside him to be near her, Tommy couldn't help but approach the bed and look at her. She looked every bit as beautiful as he remembered, though more so as she seemed to have grown up. But 'grown up' Kim still possessed the beauty of _his_ Kim. His eyes hesitated at the bandage on her forehead. It looked smaller then what he'd suspected the wound would have needed, but he couldn't see any visible sign of the injury outside of the bandage. Like the worried man that he was, he'd simply over-estimated the size of the wound at first glance. Shaking his head, Tommy fought the urge to reach out a hand to her. Just to touch her, and prove that this wasn't some cruel dream sent to torment him. With gentleness that surprised even him, Tommy traced his fingers along her cheek.

He jerked his hand back, feeling as if he'd just stuck his hand in an electrical outlet. What was that all about? He wondered to himself as he took the seat next to the bed and just looked at her, debating on whether or not to just take her hand. If only for a moment, he could be content. Just to be assured that she was real. Tommy, forgetting his discomfort and hurt, let himself be the teenager she'd fallen for all those years ago. Taking her hand gently, he let out a deep sigh before covering it with both of his hands. Despite his determination to forget about her, and push his feelings for her behind; Tommy loved this woman. As insane as it may have sounded, he loved her; truly and deeply. But would he ever tell her; no. He wouldn't put his heart at risk again with her. So, he settled just to be near her while she was unconscious, and to hold her hand. Resting his forehead against their intertwined hands, he felt all his hard feelings toward her melting away.

"It was my fault, I shouldn't have given you up so willingly Beautiful." Tommy heard himself say, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms and shake her. At that moment, had she woken up; he knew he wouldn't have been able to hold back everything he wanted- no, _needed_ to say. So, he took advantage of her sleeping to say everything he would never be able to tell her when she woke.

"There's only room in my heart for one girl, and it's always been you." He whispered softly, pushing some hair from her face as she slept.

"You would laugh if you were awake and hearing this, but there's a 'Kim' shaped whole in my heart." Tommy stopped himself from saying anything more, not being able to deal with the emotions building in his chest. He was going to leave before he burst. His proximity to her was hard to bear, especially when he couldn't get a response from her. Tommy released her hand and shook his head, walking toward the door and pausing.

"I know you're not going to remember this, but I love you Kimberly." He stated, his voice strained with emotion as he pulled open the door and left. He didn't want her to wake up alone, but Tommy couldn't take this waiting. And he doubted she'd want to wake up with him in the room... she might think she's being haunted or something. He sure felt that way. Now, he'd go to Jason's and get some answers. If not about Kimberly, then about whatever Billy thought was inside of him. Perhaps he'd even get to go look for the two others in Angel Grove.

* * *

(Okay, so this one covered more then I had planned, but I wanted to show a side of Tommy that not many people get to see. And sadly, I don't plan on him showing this side for some time. Things have to happen and develop before anything serious happens. Sorry! Thanks for the reviews, you guys are all amazing!

~Z.L.)


	8. More Questions

**Zaley Love:** First off, I wanted to clear up a big mistake I made in the former chapter that I'm stunned to have discovered. By the time Kim wrote her letter, Zordon wasn't even around anymore. Big mistake! I've edited that out of the previous chapter, so not to get people confused with _my_ twists and what **really** happened. Trust me, I had to force myself to watch Tommy's heart get broken in the Zeo episode "There's No Business Like Snow Business" just to be sure. I still cry watching that one! Like I've said before though, I didn't watch power rangers after Kim left, namely because I wasn't too fond of seeing Kat in her place. But I did see the Zeo episode by chance on day -it was the only thing on- and my happy little world crumbled. Oh well, I'm working to repair it here though! So yes, my apologies -and thanks- to those devout fans who noticed it and didn't laugh at me! Without further ado; here come the next chapter!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people much more intelligent than me (at least they _were _intelligent up until the letter -sigh- ) but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

Billy tapped the keys, standing by the desk and shaking his head.

"Everyone's vitals look fine, but there's still something I can't explain." Scratching his head, he turned to look at Jason. Kat had decided it would be best to get Gwen and Edmund out of the house so Billy could work without questions. That, and she didn't want them to be there when Tommy woke up. He'd come in late last night to find only Billy awake. Apparently, even after sleeping for two days; Gwen and Edmund were still tired. Naturally Jason and Kat had been, so the girls camped out in a spare room while Jason and Edmund took over the basement. Billy seemed wired, his work fueling his energy. After a few quick scans, Tommy took a couch and had still been sleeping when Kat left at ten. Jason looked to Billy, brow raised at his comment.

"How long till you can figure it out?" He asked, taking a seat at the table to examine some printouts.

"I should be able to decipher these quizzical occurrence in a timely manner, but I'll need to cross check some information I've been sighting." It was half past eleven, and far too early for Jason to be understanding Billy's 'techno-talk'.

"So, about how long?" He asked again, gingerly massaging the bridge of his nose. Billy ran a hand through his hair as he looked over some papers that had just printed out.

"Well, I'd like to be sure that my information is indeed accurate, so I would say about seven hours. But I could be wrong, without any more information about 'what' went into them, I'm left with limited resources." Jason nodded, this was Billy's way of saying that he couldn't be too sure, but he was hopeful.

"Don't you ever sleep?" A gruff voice from the general direction of the couch was heard. Both Jason and Billy turned to see Tommy sit up, rubbing a hand over his face before stretching out a bit.

"Negative. Especially when there's work to be done." Billy replied honestly, turning to a screen where he pulled up a map of Angel Grove's streets.

"Figures." Tommy muttered, standing and adjusting his gray shirt with a shrug. He cast a sideways glance at Jason and felt a pang of guilt. The bridge of Jason's nose was a brownish-gray color, and slightly swollen. Over the drive to Jason's, he'd decided that he wasn't angry at them. They had their reasons, and they most likely had something to do with Kim. So, Tommy wasn't wanting to beat Jason to a pulp anymore. He just wanted some answers.

"Look man, I'm sorry. You'd think that having grown up teaching martial arts would help me keep a clear mind, but I just acted on impulse last night." He said, stretching out a hand toward Jason in the manner of a truce. Jason looked at Tommy for a few moments, then shook his head with a smile as he clasped his hand.

"I doubt you're too sorry, being that it probably let out a lot of pressure for you. But it's all good. Kat even admitted that I deserved it in the car as we drove over here." He said, smirking. Tommy shook his head, now with a grin as he took a handful of papers and glanced over them.

"I'm not saying that I won't ask questions. I'm just not going to beat you up for answers." Jason nodded, glad that his friend seemed to be slipping back to his 'normal' self.

"If you two are done making up, I thought you'd like to see this." Billy stepped back so they could see the screen. It was the streets of Angel Grove, and there were five blinking lights.

"I've traced the energy signals that the satellite picked up on, and managed to locate the five people who experienced a surge. It seems that whatever hit them, is causing an enormous amount of energy to come off of them, making it easy to track." both Tommy and Jason approached the screen as they took in the information.

"The white and green dots I'm assuming are Gwen and Edmund, being that they're located just outside the park. The blue one is right here, at Jason's house, so it's safe to say that it's Tommy. But the other two are going to be harder to pinpoint. The black and crimson ones are located at the same place." Billy printed out the map, handing one to each of them. Tommy glanced at the spot where the two darker colors were located and turned to Jason.

"They're at the hospital."

_Angel Grove hospital._

Charlie jumped awake, stared around the vacant room and shuddered. His surroundings could only mean one thing; hospital. Whatever had happened to him that night had landed him here. How long ago had that been anyways? Charlie remembered the impact and pressed against his chest. Nothing, no wound or pain; simply nothing. He found this very odd, considering the excruciating pain that had sent him to the pavement. Whatever it was, he highly doubted it was from Vince. He would never have woken up if it was. Charlie let out a gasp as he smacked his forehead. Vince probably thought he chickened out. This wouldn't be good. He had to get out of this place, and fast! Removing anything that wasn't connected to him at birth, Charlie quickly got out of the bed and pulled on his clothes. He wouldn't care if this didn't sit well with the medical staff, he _had _to go and explain things to Vince before he was laid six feet under. Charlie checked his window, and smiled; his favorite type of escape. He was only on the second story, so it wouldn't be such a hard landing to make. So, with little thought on the matter, Charlie pried open the window and frowned. A silent alarm was obviously set off due to the window being opened. He'd have less time to make his escape, so he had to hurry now. Stepping one foot out the window and onto the ledge, he ducked his head out next and used his arms to keep balanced as he brought his other foot out. Just as Charlie began to slowly move from the window, the door to his room flung open, two security guards looking around and rushing the window.

"Hey, you haven't been discharged, get back in here." One guard called out to him as he tried to catch his balance once again. If they would keep it quiet this would be easy. Charlie ignored the men and continued along the wall for two steps before slipping backwards. He was only on the second floor, so it didn't scare him too much. But even he knew you shouldn't be able to jump right back up after the impact.

Tommy stopped in his tracks as Jason grabbed his arm, pointing to the hospital. A man was trying to get out apparently. But what had captured their attention about this male was that fact that he'd lost his balance and fallen. Before people could rush him and start fussing, he'd jumped right back up and taken off running.

"Well, that was easier then I thought." Billy stated, showing them that the black dot on his screen was moving in the same direction as the male. Tommy just stared for a moment.

"You've got to be kidding." Jason breathed out, then glanced to Tommy as they both took off after the man. Billy watched them and shook his head. He'd continue on in search of the crimson dot, the one that still seemed to be located in the hospital. But before getting to that, he wanted to pay a visit to Kim. Walking to his car, Billy placed his tracking device down and locked the vehicle. After crossing the street and getting her room number, Billy found himself taking the elevator up to the fourth floor. Stepping out of the elevator, Billy was greeted by Kat and Gwen. His brow furrowed at first, but he smiled.

"I thought you guys went to the park." He explained his confusion and Kat nodded.

"We did, but decided to come here. Jason called and told me about you checking the hospital, and I thought we should come and help." He gave a nod, then popped another question.

"Isn't Edmund with you?" Gwen took this time to break her silence.

"He said he wanted to go home for a bit, just so his family wouldn't be worrying about him." After speaking, Gwen's cheeks flushed as she realized they were both looking at her with amused smiles. Shuffling her feet, Gwen decided to take a seat and rolled her eyes, not looking at either her aunt or Billy.

"Well, I don't understand why that didn't show on my scanner... come to think of it, I wasn't getting any reading from Gwen at all." He spoke in a hushed tone with Kat, not wanting to draw much attention to them.

"That's because I didn't want to be found on some scanner." Gwen said in a tone that seemed to be expressing that her's was the most obvious reason.

"Interesting, We'll have to find the last one before they figure that out." He mused, causing Kat to ask a question.

"One? So, you found the other already?" To which Billy nodded.

"Affirmative, Tommy and Jason were going after him as I decided to pay a visit to Kimberly... how is she?" Kat nodded, then shrugged her shoulders.

"She's gotten her color back, but is still unconscious. The doctors said her system suffered some shock from the accident, and she received minor head trauma. So it's natural for her to be out a few days." Billy nodded, walking with Kat to Kim's room, trailed by Gwen who seemed to be lost in thought.

_Elsewhere in Angel Grove..._

Tommy caught hold of the man's arm and pulled him back, not caring that he lost his footing and fell.

"Whoa, we just want to talk." Jason said as he took one of the man's arms to help him up. Looking him over Jason deemed him familiar.

"Look, I don't know what happened back there alright? But I've got to go explain to my boss why I didn't show up for work... do you mind?" The man said, taking in a few deep breaths to slow down his pulse. Tommy accepted Jason's arm to pull him up, then looked at Charlie.

"I'm Dr. Thomas Oliver, and this is a friend of mine, Jason Scott. We just had a few quick questions, that's all." He looked between them, considering his options for the moment before exhaling.

"I'm Charlie."He said casually, then shoved his hands in his coat pockets.

"Can this hurry along, I've got some stuff to do." He said, not seeming very interested in them at all.

"Right, well we were wondering if you could tell us about how you ended up in the hospital." Charlie shrugged and spoke in the careless tone of a man who wanted to leave.

"Beats me. All I remember is walking down the streets the other night, and then BAM- something hit me in the chest and I was out. Next thing I know, I'm in a hospital." Jason nodded, then looked to Tommy and shook his head.

"Alright, well we'll not keep you any longer Charlie. But if you remember anything else, or have some questions; call this number or come to this address." He quickly jotted down his home number as well as his address, handing the paper over to Charlie with a nod. Charlie looked at them, then tucked the paper in his pocket.

"Okay, will do." And with that, he took off again. Tommy shook his head, looking to Jason with a frown.

"I doubt he will, but nice approach man." Jason just shook his head and let out a sigh.

"Back to the hospital?" Tommy didn't reply, they just walked on silently toward the building where they assumed Billy had stopped into.

* * *

(Okay, so it's nothing amazing and didn't answer many questions, but that was kind of the point. To only bring up MORE questions! XD Thanks for the feedback everyone, you're amazing! Please continue to review! This will be all for tonight, being that I need sleep. Not sure if anything will be up tomorrow, kind of busy. Will do what I can for you amazing people though!

~Z.L.)


	9. No More Lies

**Zaley Love:** As it turns out, mum was sick this morning so we didn't go to church. Giving me the free time to update this story! Woo! ^^ Thanks for the reviews, you don't know how much they help in boosting my muse! Lots of muse leaves me wanting to keep going! So thanks everyone! Also, just wanted to take time to say that I absolutely love that some reviewers are awesome enough to use one of my favorite Kimberly quotes; "Catch you on the flip side". Totally puts me in the mood for another chapter!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_At Jason's_

"Kimberly looked fine, so I wouldn't be too worried. She's not likely to stay out much longer. According to her charts, she is excelling in her recovery and should wake any day now." Billy stated with assurance, having paused his work to eat some food at Kat's insistence. After the visit to the hospital, Jason and Tommy had returned to say that the man, Charlie, had gone through a similar experience as the other three. Now if they could only pinpoint this last person. But Billy would have to get the blueprints to the hospital, and replicate the tracking beacon to respond to the new map. At least if they wanted to find the person in the hospital it would have to work that way. Jason didn't want him to wast his time on that thought.

"Well if it happened last night, they'll likely be out of the hospital soon. I just don't see the point in you working on that when we should be figuring out what's going on." This idea was backed by Tommy, who said it would be easier to find the person once they were out of the hospital anyways. But the tone in his voice suggested that finding the person was the last thing on his mind. Jason and Billy could tell, he wanted to distance himself from the hospital. Or rather, the petite brunette who resided there. So, with the persuasions of his friends, Billy got back to his endless scanning and information. He had been cross checking some data when Kat insisted he eat.

"That's wonderful, I just hope she's not in much pain. Jason and I stopped by the wreckage, I can't believe she survived something like that." Kat admitted, fidgeting with some dishes on the counter. The sight of the mangled car had been burned into her memory. Billy shook his head, not wanting to consider the fact that Kimberly could have died in that accident. Had it not been for her seat belt, she would have been thrown from the vehicle. And for whatever reason, she managed to escape with a very minor head injury.

"I'm suddenly very appreciative of her being a safety fanatic." He mused aloud, finishing off the last bite of pizza on his plate. Kat nodded, but turned her attention to Gwen as the girl approached.

"Hey, have you two seen Jason? He said he'd give me a lift to work, and he's not around." Kat looked to Billy, then back to Gwen.

"He's out with Tommy, they had a lot of catching up to do. I'll give you a lift if you want, or you can take Jason's truck." Gwen considered her options, then smiled.

"You can stay here and relax, I'll give you a call if anything comes up. I'll be closing tonight don't wait up for me." With that, she gave her aunt a hug, and waved to Billy before exiting the house.

"They still haven't gotten back from that walk?" Billy inquired, returning to the computer screen and moving things about.

"No, so it must be going very good, or very bad."

_The woods behind Jason's house_

Jason watched as Tommy walked about, unsure of how to process the information.

"Okay, so you're telling me that she's been back in California for five years now, during which you lied to me about having not heard from her since her drop out from the pan global's?" Tommy's voice was filled with confusion. Kim had been one of the top gymnasts, and a sure shot for gold. But two weeks before the tournament, she'd had her name pulled from the preforming gymnasts and disappeared. At least that's what Jason had told Tommy. Jason looked at his friend from where he stood, leaning against a tree.

"Look, I know it wasn't right by you man, but I had to do it for Kim. I wanted to tell you about her when she was ready to see you." He watched as Tommy seemed to process this, then sit on a fallen tree.

"Can you at least tell me why she dropped out?" The emotional strain Jason caught in Tommy's voice surprised him. This wasn't the Tommy he knew. He seemed to be experiencing the effects of the letter all over again. Rejection from a girl whom he loved with his whole heart. Sure he would try to deny that, but Jason knew him better then most. Running a hand through his hair, Jason shook his head.

"I wish I could, but that's one for Kim." He said, approaching Tommy where he sat.

"If it makes you feel any better, she didn't know where you were. Even if she'd wanted to see you, she didn't know how close you were. And that would be my fault, I didn't want anyone to seem cruel by talking to her about you, so we didn't." He didn't mention the part that Kim never asked, because it was only part true. She never voiced the question, but it was always in her eyes. A shadow that she never could escape.

"She never opened up about you to any of us, and we wanted to be sensitive to her feelings, should it be a touchy topic." With this said Tommy looked up, but didn't respond. For a moment Jason could see something different in Tommy's eyes, but before he could even blink; it was gone. Tommy stood, a steely look returned to his eyes as he just shook his head.

"I get it Jase, but I just need some time to think. You can head back to the house, I'm gonna stay out here." With that, Tommy turned and walked in the opposite direction of the house. Then it hit him, Jason knew that look in Tommy's eyes. He was hurt. But more, Jason assumed, from his own handling of this information, then from the information itself. It was obvious that Tommy had some inner demons to overcome, if he was ever to become the man they all knew him to be.

Tommy found his way to a decent sized pond and picked up a hand full of rocks. Why would Jason say something like that? Not telling him about Kim because she wasn't ready to see him; what was up with that? What had she experienced to make her dread seeing him? Or was it simply that she was afraid of his response at seeing her. Tommy sighed, throwing the rocks one by one into the water, sending ripples through the water as each struck. He needed more answers then his friends were willing to give, and it bothered him. How did they expect him to get through this without any answers? Obviously they expected him to get them all from _her. _No, he couldn't do that. If she wasn't ready for him to be in her life, he wasn't going to just show up demanding answers. Which he knew would end up happening at this point. There were far too many questions, and not enough answers. Alright, so there were tons of answers, but he wanted honest answers; not lies. A pain seeped into his chest, but he ignored it. Tommy wasn't going to let himself be love-sick over Kim. Sure it hurt, but he wasn't about to pour out his heart to her. There was more to everything then he'd originally thought. The letter, her dropping out; something big must have happened to so alter the girl to convince her to give up on the dream she'd lost everything else to. Rage began to build in Tommy's chest, rising from the realization that something had happened to Kim, _his _Kim, and Jason wasn't able to talk about it. No, he just _wouldn't _talk about it. Why couldn't they just be honest with him in this? Tommy let his angry impulse take over, turning around swiftly and caused his fist to collide with a tree. He expected the pain, waited for it to hit him... but nothing. There was a loud cracking sound, but it apparently wasn't from his hand. Looking at his fist, Tommy was stunned. It was embedded in the center of the tree, and bleeding. Managing to pull it out without getting a splinter, Tommy watched in horror. The flesh on his hand illuminated a deep blue and began mending the open wound. Within seconds, a wound that would have taken months to heal; was gone. Completely unaltered was his hand, not even so much as a scratch.

"That's not right, I have to talk to Billy." Tommy mumbled, still awestruck with his hand. He looked at the tree, then backed away before running toward Jason's house.

_In the hospital..._

Kimberly gasped as she sat up quickly, her head spinning as she did. Everything in her seemed to ache, and then; nothing. The room ceased to spin, even her headache was gone. Looking around it was easy to tell she was located in a hospital. And judging by the balloons and flowers, her friends knew exactly where to locate her. This caused her to smile, glad that she wouldn't have to inform them of where she was. Those calls were the worst for Kim. Especially when she felt compelled to tell Jason when these things happened. A card attached to some flowers expressed some well wishes from her brother. Though not in blood, Jason was most definitely considered to be Kim's brother. No one took better care of her. Okay, so only one other person had, but after _him_; it was Jason. Kim remembered bits of what happened, glad to find her chest wasn't bruised from whatever had hit her. Reaching a hand to run through her hair, Kim's fingers brushed against the bandage on her forehead. Pressing against the bandage, she felt nothing and opted to remove it. Looking around her, Kim pressed a button to summon a nurse. After a few minutes, a male and female entered, both smiling.

"Well, it's great to see you awake miss. You've had plenty of people worrying about you." The male in a white jacket said, taking a clipboard and studying it for a moment before writing some things down. Kim, looking back to the gifts by the window nodded.

"I'm just glad to be here." She stated honestly, vividly recalling the dream she'd awoken from. Ha, 'dream' wasn't the right word to describe it. No, it had been a nightmare. Kim was glad to jump awake in a hospital room, and not the prison of the machine empire. Shaking her head, she looked to the doctor with a question that need not be voiced. The nurse had began to check her vitals and disconnect the IV from her arm. Seeing Kim's gaze, he offered a smile.

"After a few test results you'll be free to go. It says here you experienced some head trauma, so we want to be sure it was nothing serious. After the scans come in, we'll see about getting you released." With that, he took the clipboard and left the room. The nurse offered a sweet smile to Kimberly and paused at the window.

"Would you like to look through anything over here?" This brought a smile to Kim's face as she nodded, deciding at once that this nurse was probably the best one in the hospital.

"Thank you." Kim said with a smile, accepting three different bouquets of flowers, a balloon that had some corny looking dinosaurs on it, and a pink teddy bear. Trust her friends to make her smile. Each bouquet was different, and from a different person. A dozen pink roses were from Kat and Gwen, six sunflowers from Billy, and a dozen peonies from Jason. The teddy bear was from Trini, with a card expressing her sorrow at not being able to visit me for the next week due to being on a business trip. The balloon had a card on it from Rocky and Adam, who had apparently stopped in earlier that day, according to the nurse.

"Oh, I'm not sure who brought that one in. The tag didn't say either." The nurse said, stepping out the door as Kim looked at the simple cymbidium orchid in her hand. Unbeknownst to many, orchids were Kim's favorite flower. Though her friends assumed she loved sunflowers the most. But the stunning orchid had always been her favorite. The tag simply had the meaning of the flower written on the inside; "Delicate Beauty". Only one person had ever nicknamed her 'Beautiful', but she highly doubted it was from him. It couldn't be. Tommy didn't even know she was here, and if he did; he'd be the last person to send her flowers... right? Shaking her head, Kim leaned against her pillow with a sigh. After the test results were in, she'd be paying a visit to Jason. She needed a few answers, namely; how she ended up in the hospital.

_On a desolate asteroid, light years from Earth..._

A badly wounded man cradled his left arm, ducking into a cave for protection. For several days he'd been hiding from the murders who'd taken over Crystalline, his home planet. The mine he'd been working in just days before had been destroyed, the precious gems he was searching for had been either destroyed or lost forever. Everyone knew the legend of the gems. They would offer the much needed technology to help the people of Crystalline rebuild their kingdom and help save lives. Legend said that these gems offered powers of healing, but could also be dangerous in the wrong hands. Apparently, the Klyptoids from the neighboring planet had heard the legend as well. And it was no secret that the Klyptoids hated the Crystallians. The two has always been at odds. Where the Crystallians were more human then most other lifeforms, the Klyptiods were part cyborg. They traveled across the universe in search of greater power. This search, brought them to Crystalline. So they attacked the mine, destroying whatever gems might have been there, and sending Tyro to an asteroid until he decided to speak. Something inside him offered hope. His father said he was tied to these gems in a special way. He was the only one who would be able to locate them. This made him indispensable to the Klyptoids. He was their key to greater power, and he wouldn't help them at all. He also felt in his heart that the gems had survived. Somewhere, maybe even across the galaxy; but they were there. He had to find them, but he couldn't give them up.

"Over there! He's badly injured, but he's alive." An inhuman voice sounded, causing his heart to sink. They'd found him, and there would be no escaping them now.

* * *

(Okay, so there is the next chapter. I thought it would be a nice time to start getting some other things played out. And what better way to add more questions then inventing a few new races and a planet? XD Please review, and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave any form of feedback; it all helps! Will attempt to write another one tonight, but might only make it halfway through. Thanks again!

~Z.L.)


	10. New Friends

**Zaley Love:** Here come my longest chapter so far! Thanks for the feedback everyone! You're all amazing!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Back alleys._

Charlie coughed, wiping the blood from his mouth as he looked at the ground in front of him. Vince was really taking out his disappointment out on him this time. With a snap of his hand, Vince got the attention of one of his men. With a nod, the man lifted up Charlie by his hair, bringing him to face Vince.

"Look, you're one of my good friends Charlie. But I don't take to kindly to the friends who stand me up. Being that you're such a good friend, I know it won't happen again." Vince spoke with annoyance in his voice, snapping his fingers at another man who landed a good fist into Charlie's gut. Groaning as he was allowed to sink to the ground, he spat out more blood, looking up at Vince with disgust.

"I'd hate to find out h-how you treat your e-enemies." He said through labored breathing. This cause Vince to smile, ducking to meet his gaze.

"That's what I like about you Vance, you've got the brains to know when to be funny. That's why we keep you around. So, I tell you what; this trip to the hospital is on me." Vince told him, speaking in a tone that suggested he was doing Charlie a favor. Before Charlie could question his motives, he was hit hard over the back of his head. But he wasn't out long, Charlie managed to come to his senses before he was even noticed in the dumpster where Vince had him tossed. Shaking his head, he decided it might be best if he went to talk with those two men from earlier. They seemed to know more then they let on, and he knew something was up. He wasn't bleeding anymore, in fact; his torso wasn't even sore from the beating he'd gone through. No, something was very wrong here, and Charlie needed to get this straightened out. So, after being sure that none of Vince's men had stayed around, Charlie found himself looking at the paper and heading toward the more secluded and wooded area in Angel Grove.

_Jason's house._

"Kat, Billy!" Jason's voice caused both to jump up from there seat; Billy's at the desk and Kat on the couch. Without waiting for either of them to respond, Jason ran into the room with a relieved expression.

"I just got a call from a nurse, Kim just left the hospital. She's on her way here, at least that's what the nurse thinks." He said breathlessly, slightly annoyed that Kim would be making this trip when she'd only just been released. But she didn't fancy playing the damsel, and would jump at the chance to show them she was fine. Kim didn't like milking her injuries for pity, she didn't like that form of attention directed toward her. Kat ran to give Jason a hug, smiling as she released a sigh.

"That's exceptionally great news, but why didn't she call? We all would have gladly offered her a ride." Billy stated, a smile on his face as he returned to his seat, only to be forced to stand as his cell phone chirped.

"Excuse me, I have to take this." He apologized to Kat and Jason with a nod as he headed downstairs. Kat rolled her eyes with a smile as she looked up to Jason.

"I'm just glad she's out of any serious danger." She offered in a softer voice, glad that she'd soon see her friend. Jason's brow rose as he glanced down at Kat, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Who says she's not in any danger? I think she's in lots of danger, at least in the form of her older brother taking away her license." He teased, leaning down to peck Kat softly on the lips.

"Right, I doubt she would mind that anyways." Kat responded as she disconnected herself from Jason and headed into the kitchen.

"I think we should plan a big dinner for tonight, we're going to have a lot of people to feed." Kat mused aloud, giving a wink in Jason's direction. He followed her to the kitchen and checked the pantry, ready to assist if she needed him.

"And what makes you think that?" He asked, watching as Kat surveyed the ingredients in the fridge.

"Oh, well I invited Edmund over, and we've got Billy, Tommy, you and me. Not to mention Kimberly's on her way. But Gwen will be working late, so we can leave out one place setting." She replied, moving some items around as she considered what to make. Jason chuckled, pulling her to him for a lingering kiss before speaking.

"You think of everything." They continued on in this manned until they heard Billy coming up from the basement, phone in hand.

"You probably wont believe this, but I just got some information from a friend about some interesting activity in space. It would seem that there's a disturbance some light years away, but my friend believes the fragments from the destruction of a mine may have headed our way." He said, placing his phone on the desk as he shifted through papers, not pausing to see if they followed him or not.

"And if this information is accurate, the energy spikes would have been caused by some intergalactic gem shards from the mine. This would explain anything odd brought on by the shards, being that they are from a different planet." By now, Jason had accompanied him to the desk and helped him file through some papers until he pulled out a chart that showed the different trails of the shards.

"If I can reroute the satellite, I can trace where exactly these sharps came from, and get some actual answers." Kat, leaning against the counter nodded and looked to the window, seeing Tommy step out of the woods.

"I'm sure we'd all appreciate that Billy." She said, motioning for them to see Tommy approaching at a slow pace, his gaze glued to his hand.

_Ernie's_

Gwen gave a sigh as she wiped the counter clean after having spilled another drink. That made two already, after only being at work for a little over an hour.

"I'm sorry Ernie, I guess I'm just a little out of it today." Gwen apologized, looking at Ernie with a shrug. He just shook his head, offering a smile.

"It's alright, Kat called and said you might be a little out of it. Just take things slow. I'm gonna take my lunch now." He told her with a nod, taking a sandwich from the fridge and going to an empty table. Gwen offered a smile, taking a cup and putting it in the kitchen to be washed. After retrieving a clean one, she returned to the task at hand. After properly making the drink, she handed it to the costumer with an apology for the wait. Turning back to the cups, Gwen began to re-organize them. After turning one around a few times and finally settling on a way to place it, she heard someone approach with a soft laugh. Turning around, she froze.

"Edmund, hi!" She managed out, trying to hide the blush that threatened to take her cheeks. He had on a friendly smile as he leaned against the counter and nodded toward the glasses she'd just stacked into a pyramid.

"I always thought it was cool that you did that." He stated, catching her off guard. Since when did he notice what she did? Glancing at the cups, she smiled and looked back to him.

"Oh, thanks. Um, did you want something to drink?" She asked, ready to take an order if he was. He considered her question as he shrugged.

"Not today, I was about to head over to Jason's. Your aunt invited me over for dinner tonight."He explained, then added.

"And I figured I would stop in to see you, since I was passing by anyways..." He paused, glancing around before raising a brow.

"Are you doing alright, after everything I just wanted to be sure you were okay." This caused Gwen to smile, which immediately was returned by Edmund.

"Thanks. I'm okay, feeling a little silly at the moment, but okay non the less. Will you tell my aunt to keep me posted?" She asked, slightly wondering why she'd never ventured to speak to Edmund before. It wasn't awkward or weird, she felt as if she'd known him forever. He gave a nod, seeming relieved by her answer.

"Alright, well I'll be going now, be sure to call if anything happens here. See you later Gwen." Edmund said, pushing himself away from the counter with a smile and waving as he stepped out the doors. Gwen smiled, not bothering to hide her blush. She caught a smile from Ernie and turned to the wall. She was so going to kill her aunt if she embarrassed her tonight, but was glad that they were getting Edmund to be over. Who knew, maybe they'd be able to explain whatever had happened to them. As a group of teens came in for smoothies, Gwen returned to her work.

_In rout to Jason's..._

Kim, after stopping in a shop for some clothes and changing, found herself walking down the road. For whatever reason, she wasn't jumping at the chance to be driving there. Especially not in a strange car. In some comfortable jeans paired with a crimson colored t-shirt. On her arm she had a bag that held her change of clothes. Without any reason to wait, she began her trek toward Jason's. On foot it would take about ten to fifteen minutes, but she wasn't in any hurry. She planned to take her sweet time, knowing that they wouldn't want her to take if quickly anyways. As she began to walk down the road, she heard someone yell something that sounded like 'Wait.' Turning, she spotted a young looking man walking toward her, a paper in his hand.

"This might sound crazy, but would you happen to know where this address is?" He asked, offering the paper to Kim for inspection. Taking the paper, Kim smiled. The address written down was none other than Jason's. Handing it back she nodded.

"Actually, that's where I'm heading myself. Is Jason a friend of yours?" She asked, taking in his appearance. He looked to be a little over twenty, but not the type of person to be found hanging around Jason. His appearance gave off the look of a trouble maker.

"I met him this morning, he gave me his number and address, so I figured I'd stop in to see him. I'm Charlie." He stated, taking the paper and tucking it in a pocket before extending a hand. Kim listened, then shook his hand when he offered and smiled.

"Kimberly." She said, looking down the road.

"Pleasure Kimberly." He said with a smile. Charlie found himself admiring this female's smile. She seemed like the type of girl who never got in trouble; just the kind that drove him crazy.

"You don't mind a little company for the walk, do you?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't. Kim shook her head, turning to start walking.

"Not at all, but I must warn you; I'm not in a hurry so it might take more then the ten minutes it should take." She said with a smile to herself as she looked about. It had been more then a year since she'd just taken a good long walk in Angel Grove. Charlie chuckled, catching up to be walking beside her.

"Fine by me, just glad I won't be getting lost now." He said, watching as a car drove past them.

With Kimberly remaining quiet, Charlie felt little need to talk. He walked mostly behind her, not wanting her to feel as if she had to keep pace with him, or as though he were going to try and intrude upon her thoughts. Besides, he was enjoying the view from behind her well enough. But after the first five minutes, it did get a little old.

"So, you obviously aren't new to Angel Grove, but do you live around here? He asked, catching up to be walking beside her, glancing her way with a questioning gaze. She smiled, looking around and shaking her head.

"Not anymore, I grew up here. But have been relocating a lot recently." He tried not to frown. So she probably wouldn't be in town much, and his fishing for an address hadn't gotten him anything. He was about to ask another question, when she stopped and he knocked into her.

"Umph, sorry... what are you doing?" He said, catching his balance and pausing to watch her. She laughed, removing her heels. Charlie took this moment to check her out. Kimberly was on the petite side, which could always be fun, and had easy to like chocolate brown eyes. She was quite the pretty little thing.

"Just taking off my shoes. We're walking in the grass anyways." She stated, as if it was the most obvious thing ever. He smirked. To say he was forming an attraction toward her wouldn't be a lie. Seeing that she was holding something else too, he spoke up.

"I can take your stuff if you want.."He offered, hoping she wouldn't take it the wrong way. He didn't mean to imply that she seemed to weak to carry the bag and her shoes. He just wanted to be helpful. Kim looked at him with a raised brow, them smiled as she held out the bag and shoes to him.

"Thanks." Kim replied with a smile, them began to walk again. Charlie followed at her side and couldn't help but smile as Kim laughed when looking at him.

"Do you know how crazy you look right now? Carrying a bag with girl clothes in one hand, and a pair of pumps in the other?" She asked him as a car drove past and honked at them. Charlie shrugged, showing his pearly white with a smile.

"I look crazy? You're the petite girl without shoes on." He teased right back, continuing to walk, a smile plastered on his face. Charlie most definitely wanted to get to know this girl some more.

Kimberly grinned, watching this new acquaintance carrying her stuff. He looked ridicules, but she looked just as silly without her shoes on. She shook her head, continuing to walk as she looked around and noticed a tree that looked as if it'd been hit. She froze for a moment. Hadn't she seen that tree last night right before...

"Is something wrong Kimberly?" Charlie asked, snapping her from her thoughts.

"Oh, no. I just noticed that tree. I think I may have caused that." She said, then added.

"Kimberly's rather formal, you can call me Kim." Continuing to walk, Charlie followed her, also taking in the tree's missing bark.

"What makes you think that?" He asked, looking at her sideways as she shrugged.

"I was driving out this way the other night, and the last thing I remember seeing before I blacked out was that tree." She said, stopping when she realized Charlie wasn't walking anymore.

"What?" She asked, seeing his facial expression and turning to look at the curve before them.

"I think you might be onto something." Charlie added simply as Kim's gaze took in the sight before her. Where guardrail should have been, there was police tape and a sign warning about the turn and missing railing. Kim continued, picking up her pace until she stood at the police line. The guardrail had been pulled down with a car, and just as she dreaded, there was her car at the bottom of the hill. She remembered to breathe as she heard Charlie stop beside her and look down, whistling low under his breath.

"Is that your.." He didn't finish, just looking at Kim as she nodded.

"Well that explains why I woke up in the hospital." She said, shaking her head as she continued around the turn, not wanting to be seeing the wreckage. Charlie remained silent, and she appreciated that. It gave her time to think and process the realization of how lucky she was. With how the car looked, you'd expect her to have something to show after walking away from that. But there wasn't even so much as a scratch.

"Jason's house is just ahead, see?" Kim said, breaking the silence several minutes later as she pointed.

Reaching the door, Kim knocked loudly before shaking her head with a smile and looking at Charlie as he spoke.

"So, is this guy Jason your boyfriend or something?" He asked casually, making Kim laugh.

"No way, Jason's like my unofficial big brother. And if I'm lucky, his girlfriend Kat will be here. I haven't seen them in a few weeks and it'll be nice to visit." She said with a smile, causing Charlie to nod. Kim shrugged, running a hand through her hair before sighing. Charlie looked at her, then smiled as he held up her shoes.

"Hey, do you think these are my color?" He asked with a playful wink, earning a wide smile and laughter from Kim as she attempted to grab her shoes. But Charlie, being taller then her, held them out of her reach with a smile as she tried to get them back. Both adults laughing like teenagers. The door swung inward to reveal Kat with a quizzical glance to Kimberly as she watched what looked like her trying to get her shoes and hug this man at the same time.

"Kim!" Jason exclaimed, running toward the door and freezing at the sight of Charlie with Kim, the confusion evident on his face. Kim ceased laughing, but still smiled as she tried to get her shoes one last time but looked toward the now open door and froze; smile fading. Feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of her, she saw a more then familiar male follow up behind Jason. There, behind Jason stood Dr. Thomas Oliver; the one man she'd never expected to find there. She watched as Tommy's eyes took in the scene and he cleared his throat. Charlie handed Kim her shoes and bag, noticing the tension building in the air.

"Is there something I should be aware of here?" Charlie asked, breaking the silence as he looked at the people around him, beyond lost at what was happening. Kim looked straight at Tommy and opened her mouth to say something, but instead found herself having trouble breathing. Before anyone knew what was happening, Kim's frame collapsed. But instead of hitting the ground, she'd landed in Tommy's arms. He'd always been good at catching her, but this time it didn't look as if he was too thrilled with it.

* * *

(Okay, so I had a ton of muse and couldn't sleep without getting this out. I had the idea of Charlie and Kim taking the journey to Jason's together and couldn't resist the twist it would add. Plus, it looks rather interesting to everyone else. So, there's that! Review please! Until tomorrow!

~Z.L.)


	11. A Reunion of Sorts

**Zaley Love:** I'd like to take a moment to thank pinkrangersforever for the suggestion. I've gone through all of my previous chapters to fix that issue, so they don't look like big blocks of text anymore. ;) Thanks again! Thanks to everyone who has left encouraging feedback!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's house_

An odd sort of tension seemed to have replaced the air inside the house, leaving everyone on edge. After catching Kim, Tommy had scooped her up in his arms with a pained expression. Twice, after eight years of not even so much as a hand shake, he'd found himself carrying her petite form to safety. Why couldn't he just leave it to Jason this once? Without his gaze leaving Kim's face, he stepped back into the house and headed up the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms. Charlie was the one to finally break the silence.

"I didn't expect anything like this, am I missing something here?" He asked, looking to Jason and Kat expectantly, obviously confused. Turning to look at the man, Jason stepped aside to let him enter and walked toward the kitchen.

"Honestly, I wish it was an easy thing to explain. But to put it simply; they haven't seen each other in a _really _long time, after a difficult separation... it's been hard on them both." He said, wondering if he was to expect Tommy down before Kim awoke, or after. At the moment, it was safe to say he was more concerned for Kim's sake then his own or Tommy's. Judging by the look in Tommy's eyes, he had a lot to say. But was she ready to be honest about everything just yet?

"Wait, so they used to be-"

"Yes." Kat snapped, not understanding why they owed any answers to this strange man. If he was with Kim, that girl would have a lot of explaining to do. Looking at him, she let out a sigh. No, Kat wasn't going to jump to conclusions and be rude.

"Well I guess we could use another place setting for the table." Edmund interrupted, looking to Kat for approval. After she nodded. He set about making the table. Naturally Kat would be, but as she was making dinner, Edmund had offered to help.

"How do you know Kim?" Jason asked, looking to Charlie as he crossed his arms. There was no way he was anything to Kim, she would have told him. But then what was with all that at the door. She looked as if she were hugging him. And what was with him carrying her shoes and bag? It just didn't add up to him.

"I just met her on the way here, honest." Charlie said, putting his hands up in his defense. He could tell that they were trying to remain civil toward him. But for whatever reason, they seemed really on edge when it came to Kim. He knew he shouldn't have started that goofing off at the door.

"I asked if she knew where your address was exactly, and she said she was heading the same way. So she let me walk here with her. I don't see why that's such a problem." He answered, his tone getting a hint of annoyance to it. He watched as Jason looked at him them shook his head.

"So, why did you come?" He asked, causing Charlie to sigh. He caught sight of Billy watching them now, ready to intervene should something break out. Tommy had just gotten into the house, saying something strange had happened in the woods, and then the knock and laughter at the door got their attention. Whatever had happened to Tommy would have to wait for later apparently.

"You might think I'm crazy, but you saw what happened at the hospital this morning. I feel pain and get hurt, but then it's gone. Look at me! You can't tell I was beaten by a shady character just twenty minutes ago. There's nothing there to prove it." He stated, feeling confused. Why did something strange have to happen, upsetting his once perfect little world? Sure he got to mingle with a cute brunette for a bit, but he was just wanting things to get back to normal for him.

"This is just as I assumed, perhaps I should start rerouting that satellite now." Billy offered, turning to his computer screen as Jason just stared at Charlie for a moment. If this indeed had to do with ranger business, he couldn't believe someone like him had been chosen. But then again, he'd been chosen at one point. People were changed from things like this. He sighed.

"There's not much we can explain to you Charlie, why don't you take a seat. Kat's making some pasta for dinner, you're welcome to join us." He watched as the man simply nodded, then took a seat on the couch. Looking toward the stairs, Jason sighed. Hoping no one up there decided to blow a fuse.

_Upstairs_

Tommy had stood holding Kim for what seemed like an eternity before placing her on the bed. He wasn't ready for this. Seeing her outside laughing, looking fine, and all over that guy. What was with that? He could feel his blood boiling, which was why he knew he needed to relax. He didn't know what was going on, and he didn't have any right to start hurling accusations and insults. But had she not fainted, he knew that would have happened. Tommy paced, shaking his head after stepping into the bathroom and getting a hand towel wet. Stepping over to the bed, he sat down next to her and gently wiped her face with the towel. Watching her brow furrow as she moved her face from the cool fabric he couldn't help but realize something inside of him. He was suddenly reminded of a song by Nick Lachey, 'I Can't Hate You Anymore'. At this moment, he knew just how true that song was for him. Sighing, Tommy turned away from her for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Hmm... Tommy?" Her voice, a mixture of confusion and worry caused him to straighten up. The bed shifted as Kim pushed herself up, looking at the back of the man she'd been aching for ever since the letter. Sure his hair was short, a little stubble on his face, and a bit older; but it was still Tommy... _her _Tommy.

"I-I'm not sure what to say just right now." She breathed out, voice barely above a whisper. It may have been easier for her to know what to say or how to react if he'd look at her, but he didn't move. Pushing hair form her face, Kim pulled up her knees, resting her forehead against them. What she would give to be in his mind at this moment.

"You could start with a simple 'Hey Tommy, how've you been?' or even just a 'Hello'." Tommy said, the emotions in his voice unreadable. Being around her unconscious had been hard, but sitting on the same bed as her while she was awake was driving him crazy. There were so many things he wanted to say and ask, but at this moment; he couldn't think of a single one.

"So, what was all that at the door about?" Alright, so maybe he _could _think of one. He continued to keep his back to her, not willing to give her the chance to read the emotions in his eyes. She was too good at that, and would see through this facade of his.

"Nothing, since when am I not allowed to share a joke with someone?" Kimberly asked, lifting her head. Her voice had a note of defiance in it. This didn't sound like the Kim he remembered. She seemed a little, rough around the edges. But it wasn't easy to detect, only if you'd known her the way he had. And at one point, it could be said that they were one soul in two different bodies. But that had been years ago. Tommy stood, turning to face her with a look of mock apology.

"If that's how you're going to play it, then since when have you thrown yourself at a guy like that? I don't seem to recall _our_ 'jokes' ever getting physical." Tommy matched her tone and some, noting that his voice rose a little. He shook his head, he didn't want to fight. He was just tired of all the lies everyone seemed to be spewing out to him. But apparently he wasn't going to get out of a fight. Kim jumped up, her arms crossing as she spoke.

"Excuse me? I think I have more self respect then to be _throwing _myself at anyone. Especially a guy I just met fifteen minutes before." She stated, starring at Tommy with a look of pure frustration. How could he insinuate something like that about her? So she may have flirted with him a bit, but she wouldn't say that was 'throwing' herself at some guy. Besides, why should it bother Tommy if she flirted with someone? It'd been a long time since a guy actually seemed to enjoy her smile.

"Fifteen minutes, my you work fast." Tommy said before he could think about the reply. He'd actually laughed it out, and he could see the fury building inside Kim's eyes. Closing the space between them Kim glared up at him.

"What the heck is your problem? This is the first time I've seen you in eight years and all you seem intent on doing is insulting me!" Her voice rose a pitch, and there was movement downstairs. They could obviously be heard. Kim turned away from him. This was not ever how she imagined seeing Tommy again would be like. Sure she hadn't pictured everything being perfect either, but nothing like this.

"My problem? What about you're problem Kim. You've been in California for five _years_. And you've had our friends lying to me all this time for what reason? Would it have killed you to talk to me?" Tommy demanded, matching her tone as he crossed over to the door and locked it. He wasn't going to let her get out of this just as they were getting started, and he didn't want Jason trying to come to her aid. No, this was between him and Kim. He watched as she rolled her eyes and talk, fighting off a smile as she moved her hands about while speaking.

"So this is what's bothering you, the fact that never came to talk to you? Is that it? You were the one who let me go in the first place Tom-"

"You _wanted _to go!" He cut her off, beginning to think she must have hit her head hard in the accident. How could she try to pin this on him.

"I _never_ have said that, but you were the one encouraging me to go. Kat too. But did you guys ever stop and ask if I wanted to stay? Not once." Kim shouted back, jumping as someone pounded on the door.

"Not now!" The both yelled. Tommy shook his head, letting out a deep breath as Kim sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze never leaving her hands.

"We wanted you to chase after your dream, wasn't it your dream to have a shot at the pan global games?" He asked, his tone lowering as they seemed to be past the yelling. His gaze fell upon her, and he noticed for the first time that her shoulders were shaking. Was she crying? He felt like a total jerk, hating himself for making her cry.

"Kim, I... I didn't mean to make you upset. It's just been hard for me, accepting that fact that you've been so close for all these years, and I never knew a thing." He admitted honestly, but not willing to open up any more.

"I know, but I couldn't face you. Everyone told me how much I hurt you, and I just couldn't see you. No explanation would ever be good enough." She said, doing her best to hide the the fact that she was crying. Wiping at her eyes, Kim became furious with herself. She hated crying in front of people, but especially in front of guys. It seemed to freak them out.

"But lying, and getting our friends to lie? Come on, you had to know I'd figure out someday. And then what? Would it be easier to explain that?" Tommy's question was the most logical thing he'd spoken since her waking. How could she think that having everyone lie to him would be a 'good' idea? He couldn't help but think to himself; _the truth would have been good enough._

"I wasn't thinking that far ahead. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was going through a lot and just needed space to think."

"What, did you think I was going to hound after you? You broke up with me Kim, I wasn't exactly going to chase after you when you didn't want me in your life." He stated, not of course telling her that he would have been tempted to at least talk to her. She owed him a few answers, didn't she?

"I _didn't _think about it." Kim said quietly as she stood, stepping past him and toward the door, pausing as she unlocked it.

"But to answer your earlier question, no. That wasn't my dream. It was the dream everyone else had for me. And instead of going after 'my' dream, I had to chase after that one. Which is why I gave it up." She offered simply before opening the door and leaving. Tommy sank onto the bed and frowned. So even back then she'd lied to him, making him believe that gymnastics was 'her' dream. But if that wasn't, what _had _her dream been?

* * *

(Okay, so I hope this isn't a disappointment to anyone. I spent all day trying to think of how this would play and then finally decided to wing it. Hope it's up to par! Also you all should give the song "I Can't Hate You Anymore" by Nick Lachey a listen! It's inspiring to me, and helped me get this story out. The song came on and gave me the idea of how to go about this, so now I love this song!Review please!

~Z.L.)


	12. Disappearing Act

**Zaley Love:** Thanks again pinkrangersforever! I'm glad it's easier to read! If there's anything else, don't hesitate to share/ask. I want the story to be easy to read, and enjoyable for my readers. Thanks for all the support everyone!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_At Jason's_

"So let me get this straight, some weird space shards have embedded themselves into five people for sure, but at this point you've only located four?" Charlie asked, looking at the faces around the table as if unsure if this was some sort of misconstrued joke. Sure he knew about power rangers existing, he'd watched the dino rangers on the news a few times. But he had a hard time believing that something from space was stuck inside his chest. That was just too weird for him.

"So far as Billy can tell, yes. The four we know of are Tommy, Gwen, Edmund and yourself. We're hoping to locate the fifth person before they _disappear_." Jason said, with a shrug. Standing to take his empty plate, as well as the others away.

"You done Kim?" He asked, glancing at her plate. She'd attempted to eat some, but found herself without an appetite, so, for the last hour she'd just been moving it around on the plate. After coming downstairs, she and Tommy had been eerily quiet. And thanks to Kat not wanting to hear it from either later, they were seated at opposite ends of the table. Tommy next to Kat and Edmund, while Kim between Jason and Charlie. Jason had thought it best not to seat Tommy near Charlie. Billy sat at his computer, having already left the table. Jason waited for a reply, but only got a silent nod as she pushed herself away from the table and joined Billy at the desk.

"What do you mean by 'disappear'?" Edmund asked, watching as Kat began to assist Jason with the dishes. Jason just shook his head and nodded toward Billy with a look that seemed to read; _ask him._

"Well, it seems that the excess energy inside those who've been hit is strong enough to protect them, should they not want to be found. Even though I know Gwen's at Ernie's, I can't lock onto her because she doesn't want to be detected. Jason simply means he hopes we find this other person before their signal is lost to us." He explained, reaching for his phone as it began to chirp. He excused himself and stepped outside. Kim stayed at the desk, a look of worry on her face. No, it wasn't possible... was it?

"You can all laugh at me if you'd like, but I find this all very interesting. I mean, it's not everyday you find out something from space hit you and you're still alive." Edmund mused aloud with a smile. Charlie envied him. Being able to take this all in a clam fashion and actually find it interesting. He was just plain freaked out. Who knew what this thing inside of him could do. He didn't think it was natural for someone to take fall off a building and get up as if they'd simply tripped. He shivered, casting a glance to Kimberly. She looked lost in thought, and then began to tap away at the computer.

"Yeah, it's cool at first. But then you have to figure out what the side affects of this space thing being inside of you is. I mean, if it's harmful; we could all drop dead in a few days. And because I was hit first, I'd be the first to go; no warning." Charlie stated, shaking his head at the thought. This earned him a sharp glare from both Jason and Tommy, but Kat couldn't contain a grin. At least someone was trying to lighten the mood. She glanced over to Kimberly, who now sat at the desk intent on whatever she was looking at.

"I don't think Billy would let that happen. He'd figure some way to reverse the energy or something like that... it's what he's good at." Kimberly spoke up, causing everyone to look her way. She'd been so quiet, they hadn't expected her to pay any mind to their conversation. Those who knew Billy, understood her comment. But the newer people at the table looked confused.

"Aren't you placing a little too much confidence in his hands?" Charlie asked, casually slipping out of the chair and walking over to the desk and leaning against it as he offered a smile to Kim. There was a crash in the kitchen as Jason dropped a pan, offering a quick apology. Kat shot him a warning look to keep his cool. Just because this guy was playing it up to Kimberly, that didn't mean they could blow a fuse. There was a low chuckle before Kim could respond to Charlie's question.

"You have no idea what that man out there is capable of. If anyone can figure out how to help us, it's him." Tommy said, standing from the table and heading outside, his gaze falling on Kimberly before he disappeared out the door. If Jason had seen it, he would have been shoving Kim out the door behind him. Everyone was tired of these two having so much tension between them.

"Okay, so is it just me or does he really hate my guts?" Charlie asked, looking around. Kimberly shook her head, eyes returning to the screen as she finally pulled up a map that showed a few blinking colors. Blue, green, black and... red. She felt as if the room were spinning. No, she didn't _want _to be the other person. But according to what Billy had explained earlier, the only colors they hadn't accounted for was red. How she detested her luck. As Billy headed in Kim quickly, remembering what they'd said, thought about how badly she didn't want to be found. Turning away from the screen in case it didn't work. She caught an odd look from Charlie but moved to make room for Billy.

"Oh no." He said, starring at the screen with a tired look. It was almost enough to make Kimberly feel guilty about hiding from them. She wasn't ready to face it. But she would tell them... eventually. She watched with a frown as Billy altered the map and shook his head, distraught.

"We're going to have a hard time locating the final person, they're not showing on the screen anymore." Billy said, sinking into the seat with a sigh. This was almost too much for Kim. The look on her three old friend's faces, so full of disappointment. She shook her head, deciding she'd follow Tommy out, as he so obviously wanted.

"I'm gonna go check on Tommy." Kim said, ignoring the frown that settled on Charlie's face at her words. She said nothing to that, not in the mood to deal with another guy. One was enough for her. Kat gave a nod, and Jason looked after her, worry evident in his eyes. Giving a hopefully much braver smile then she felt, Kim walked out the back door.

_On the planet Crystalline..._

"Come now Tyro, isn't it bad enough that you have to watch us torture your friends? Why won't you just give us the information we want?" Sitting at the gem shaped throne in the Crystalline palace, the Klyptoid cyborg sneered at his prisoners. Tyro, along with two of his good friends, stood in shackles before the cruel beast. The beatings they'd all been through was harsh enough to kill anyone younger, but these were the elders of the Crystallians, they were much stronger then they seemed. Next to Tyro, stood his second in command; Aiorth. Both men were sporting a broken arm and several deep gashes along their torso and legs. With them was Tyro's sister and Aiorth's soul mate; Vera. She looked exhausted, struggling with a sore leg and dislocated arm. The Klyptoids had been hardest on her in their attempts to break the men. But the glint in Vera's eyes was more frightening than any Klyptoid's threat. She was a warrior through and through, willing to die before giving up a secret. And she expected nothing less of her brother or lover.

"Just come out with it, we know you found those gems!" As metal connected with the side of his head Tyro dropped to his knees, fighting the urge to black out. Looking up, he shook his head.

"For the last time, we don't know. We were close to finding them; but you destroyed the mines. They could be anywhere by now!" He shouted, earning him a kick from the cyborg. Pacing about his prisoners, he looked at the female and glared. Klyptoids were all male, being created rather then born. And for whatever reason, they feared and hated those of the female species. To them, Vera appeared to be the biggest threat. And yet, the men of other planets seemed to actually 'need' these females. Female's were the greatest weakness, should a man fall in love. Klyptoids knew nothing of the feeling. They were more machine than a living being.

"Jettison her." He said, stepping back to sit at the throne. Vera's eyes widened, but she kept her stoney exterior. Aiorth, looked between his love and Tyro, unsure of how to react. If he weren't in shackles there was no doubt in Tyro's mind that Aiorth would rip these cyborgs limb from limb.

"That black hole over there looks like a perfect place." With this said, two cyborgs retrieved Vera and began to take her from the room. The pain in Aiorth's eyes was more then Tyro could bear. He wasn't the warrior like his sister, he'd been the pampered son. He couldn't risk losing his sister over some gems, could he.

"Don't Tyro. It wouldn't change a thing if you did. Aiorth, keep my brother safe." Vera's soft voice echoed through the building as they pulled her down a hall. Aiorth sank to his knees, pulling at his hair. Tyro nodded, slipping to be next to his old friend and gripping his shoulder.

"I swear to you brother, I will never cease to stand by your side, and I will help you destroy these monsters." Aiorth said between gritted teeth, both looking at the screen as Vera, along with two cyborgs, stepped into a circular panel. They weren't jettisoning her alone, lest she reach another planet through the black hole. They were smarter then they looked.

"I'll hold you to your oath, my brother." Tyro said softly, watching as a flash of light took his sister from him. He would protect the secret, praying that Vera made it through. These Klyptoids would pay.

_Back on earth, in the woods behind Jason's house._

"Come on Tommy, will you please stop walking away form me?" Kimberly slightly begged, annoyed to be walking after him in the dark woods that she wasn't familiar with at all. Tommy chuckled as he turned around to face her.

"You've been walking away from me for the past eight years, don't you think it's my turn to do a little walking?" He inquired, watching as his words sank in. Okay, so that may have been a low blow. But Tommy was letting out steam here. Wasn't he entitled to be a little frustrated with her after everything?

"Tommy, please. Can't we just get this all out and over with already? I'm tired of having to keep coming back for it. Do you want to yell, go ahead. Tear me to pieces. But lets just get it out of the way." She stated in an testy tone, kicking a stick away from her leg. Kim wasn't the type of girl who particularly liked the woods, especially not after dark.

"I don't want to tear you to pieces Kim, I just want you to stop lying and be honest with me." Tommy said, his tone softer then she'd expected. Turning toward him, Kim frowned. He'd started walking again. She followed him until he stopped at the edge of some water. The moon wasn't showing tonight, due to it being cloudy. The air seemed to be threatening with rain, and yet it stayed quiet.

"If you'll answer a question for me, I'll answer one for you. Honestly." She spoke up after a minute, sitting on the ground at the edge of the water. Tommy looked down at her, then sat a few feet away.

"What do you want to know?" He voiced finally, wondering what in the world she could have to ask him. She was the one who'd done the moving, breaking up and lying; not him.

"Why didn't you ask me to stay?" Her words cut into him with more force then he thought possible, especially coming from her quiet voice. He shook his head with a deep sigh. He'd asked himself this so many time after she left, but had never been able to answer himself. Perhaps he'd be able to answer her.

"Honestly, I don't know. I mean, you were getting the chance of a lifetime. I didn't want you to feel compelled to stay because of me. So I played the role of the supportive boyfriend. I figured if you didn't want it, you would say something... I guess I didn't want you to think I was trying to hold you back." Tommy said after a few moments of thought. There were so many times in the past eight years that he'd thought of this moment, and he'd never once considered her asking him something like this. He honestly thought back then, that she _wanted _the pan global games more then anything. Apparently he didn't know her as well as he thought. That's what the look in her eyes told him at this moment.

"I knew what I wanted, but I went because I wanted to make you all proud. But as it turns out; leaving only hurt people." She said, her eyes glazing over for a minute as she wiped away a stray tear. No, she had cried in front of him once today; not again. She felt his eyes upon her, so she looked his way. After all these years, he could finally understand that look in her eyes she'd had the week before leaving. And he felt like a jerk for not realizing it then. In her eyes, she'd been asking, no; _begging _for him to ask her to stay. It was all a bit clearer now, why she'd seemed a bit distant before leaving. She thought he wanted her to go. How stupid was he to let her go?

"Kim, I-" He was interrupted as a flash lit up the night for a moment, followed by a giant splash. Tommy jumped up, impulsively stepping closer to Kim. He wouldn't let something happen to her because she'd followed him out here. He resumed a fighting stance as Kim slightly stepped behind him. She hadn't been in the fighting scene for over eight years. They watched in awe as three figures rushed out of the water. Two looking rather bulky, and the other one was in chains.

"Vera, you won't escape." A wretched electronic voice boomed through the night, causing Tommy to flinch. Who were these people?

"They've got a lock on our position. It was just as the master believed; she would lead us closer to the gems!" Another equally creepy voice sneered, yanking something in his hands. The person running fell backwards, glaring at her captors. Catching sight of the two at the shore, Vera smiled. She sensed power in them... very familiar power. She clutched at a stone on her necklace, eyes closing as she drew upon the power. With a flash, the chains were off and she took off to the shore.

"Follow me." She called to Kimberly and Tommy, grabbing a hand from each of them as she ran.

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(Alright, so I decided to add some more characters and introduce the Klyptoids and Crystallians once again. Please review!

~Z.L.)


	13. The Protector

**Zaley Love:** Okay, I just thought heard an old school *NSync song that fits Kim and Tommy perfectly! It's called 'Tearin' Up My Heart'. The lyrics work for either of them, but especially made me think of Kim after her break down in her introduction. ^^ Also, thanks for the feedback hewhoreaps. I'll be sure to pay more attention as I proof read and apologize for any serious errors. I guess it would be more enjoyable for everyone if I wasn't proof reading my stories a three in the morning. I'll try harder to make it better!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Running in the woods_

"Wait." Tommy called to the woman who'd taken to running ahead of them, not bothering to wait for them to catch up, but never getting too far ahead of them. Behind them all was still. Whatever had been chasing them had either stopped, or had fallen behind at a decent pace. Kim didn't looked tired from the running, but she'd always been able to keep up with him. The woman, noticing they'd stopped, turned to face them.

"There's no time to explain, we have to keep moving. They will be coming after me." She stated, her voice full of authority. Tommy exchanged a smile with Kim, this woman reminded him of Dulcea. He shrugged, following the strangers lead without questions. Kim followed, simply because she'd rather be with them then whoever was chasing them. The exchange between Kim and Tommy very much on both their minds. What had he been about to tell her?

"Can you at least give us a name?" Tommy asked, trying to keep his mind away from the thought of Kim's eyes. How had he missed that back then? It had been so obvious, and yet he'd never realized what she wanted. He couldn't believe how close he came to opening those old wounds. If she asked, he'd simply tell her he was going to ask about the letter. Yeah, it was a good cover-up.

"Vera, warrior of Crystalline." She said quickly, pulling them into what seemed to be a man-made cave. She looked at the two and frowned. Had she been mistaken in sensing power in them before? At this moment, she could feel nothing out of the ordinary coming off of them. They looked at her with questioning gazes.

"Please, I must know if you can tell me anything of the gems. Our mine was destroyed, but Tyro was able to send them into the black hole. These gems have a mind of their own, and need a h-" She stopped, obviously hearing something that the others didn't. After a moment, two things ran over the 'cave' they were in. This caused Kim to sigh, leaning against the wall with a shake of her head.

"I knew those things were going to lead to trouble and monsters all over again." Kim said, shaking her head as she dropped it into her hands. Tommy took this to mean she was simply stressed or tired, he had no idea about her real issue; Kim wasn't sure she _wanted _that life for herself again.

"Wait, have you seen the gems?" Vera asked, her face contorting slightly as she looked between them. Maybe she had been right after all.

"I'm not sure _what _we found, but a couple of our friends and myself were hit with something. A friend traced the energy signal, and got a tip that something had come from another planet. It just might be what you're talking about." His words caused Vera to sigh, leaning against the wall with a smile. She looked beyond relieved.

"I'm the protector, and will be able to assist you with accessing the power of the gems. My brother is the only one who can find the gems, but it seems they have found hosts." Vera spoke with a steady voice, not seeming to find anything she said odd at all. Kim looked up at her with questioning eyes as she stood.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'host'? Are these gems _alive_?" Kim asked, sounding worried. Tommy looked at her for a moment, not understanding her interest. But then again, she was friends with the 'hosts' and was concerned for her friends. He could see Charlie's comment filtering through her head. He rolled his eyes.

"Well, yes. The gems are, in a sense; living. They need a host to remain so outside of our planet. So once they arrived here, they sought out-" Tommy cut her off with a wave of his hand, looking out of the cave for a moment.

"Save it for when we are all together, that way you shouldn't have to repeat yourself." Tommy suggested, stepping outside and looking to them. Kim stepped out, but was looking lost in thought. Vera followed with a confused look, but said nothing. Judging from the distance from the lake, Tommy assumed they would reach Jason's house before they sent out a search party.

"Look! Here they come." Kat said from her spot at the window, Jason stepping next to her for a peak and sighed. He'd been worried about them ever since they left. Hearing how they'd gotten off at each other earlier left him with little doubt that they'd be hollering up a storm in the woods. But, they hadn't heard anything. He looked out the window, then frowned.

"Wait, there's someone else with them." Jason said, cursing the dark night. He couldn't see anything more then three frames. Two of which looked familiar, but the third looked out of place.

"You guys, whoever is with them is giving off a lot of energy. I think we'll be getting some more answers about the mysterious shards." At that, both Edmund and Charlie perked up, both having been playing cards after failing to find much else to do. They watched as the door swung in, Kim entered first, followed by a taller, black haired female and then Tommy. Charlie noted that Kim looked as if she were feeling sick, his eyes traveled over to Tommy, who looked thoughtful, and then the stranger, She was beautiful, but looked tough. As if she'd seen more battles then most people saw in their life. Her leg was in an odd looking splint, and her arms were bruised.

"Everyone, this is Vera. She's got some information on the shards, or 'gems'. I think we should give her a listen to." Tommy watched as Kim took a seat more to the back, and decided to stand by the door. Okay, so it was the farthest he could be from her without being obvious, but he just couldn't be near her right then. He scowled as Charlie stood and walked back toward Kimberly. Jason caught his friend's facial change and shook his head with a smirk. Kat nudge him with a shake of her head as Vera cleared her throat.

"Well, the gems come from the planet Crystalline, my home planet. My brother, Prince Tyro, has been working in the mines to find the gems, but we were attacked by the Klyptoids. They're cyborgs, not exactly human, but not fully robot. They live in search for more power, and want the gems. Only my brother can find them so they took him. But what they don't know, is that he found the gems, and jettisoned them for a black hole. We knew the black hole led here, and now the Klyptoids do as well." She paused, swallowing as she wondered what they'd do when learning Tyro and Aiorth had lied to them. This would not end well for them, and she feared never seeing either -alive- again.

"What's your part in everything?" Jason asked, processing the information this woman had offered so far.

"Well, my family is the only line of the Crystalline royal bloodline. Each of us was given a task related to the gems. My brother is the only one who can locate them and is also the only one who knows exactly what he can do with them. I'm the protector of the gems. It is my job to teach you how to use the gem's power. I know the legend for the gems varies for different planets, but we also know that this is once where Zordon was located. His power rangers is what these gems will be modeled after." She shared with confidence. This slightly bothered Kim, how could she be so sure?

"Are you alright?" Charlie whispered to Kim, causing her to jump. She'd been so lost in thought that she wasn't even listening to Vera anymore. Billy seemed to be taking in her every words very carefully, his mind already wrapping around the idea of assisting rangers once again. No one seemed bothered by the fact that Kim and Charlie weren't enraptured with Vera's story. Well, _almost _no one. Tommy spared a glance in their direction more times then Kimberly felt she could stand.

"It's just a little overwhelming. I haven't been involved in ranger business for eight years. So, it's hard to swallow." She explained, hoping he didn't press for further answers. Right now, Kim just wanted to get out of the room and get the gem out of her before her friends found out. But the way Vera spoke made it seem as if these gems weren't going to give up their 'hosts' any time soon. Lovely.

"It's kind of late, I don't know about everyone else, but I'm beat man. So, can we do this tomorrow?" Charlie piped up, winking to Kimberly. She looked at him with a quizzical glance then smiled. It was nice to have someone subtly helping her out. Not that it was something new to her. The others seemed to notice the time and agree. Vera looked to them with confusion but Billy waved her over.

"Billy is about the only one who can go without sleep, and he'll enjoy getting the whole story." Tommy explained to her as she nodded and walked over to Billy's desk. He smiled, glad that Billy would be getting work done and have company. He had often felt bad that not many people other then Trini could fathom the desk work. Tommy watched as Charlie helped Kim up and said something to her. His frown was there without him noticing. If that was how she was going to act, then he didn't see them getting through this without more arguing. His thoughts were interrupted by the front door opening to Gwen coming in.

"Oh, hey everyone. I wasn't expecting a welcome home party." Gwen teased with a smile, setting down her purse and hanging up the car keys. She cast a shy look to Edmund who smiled. Tommy was reminded of him and Kim as teenagers. Of course, they had been a few years younger then Gwen and Edmund. But there were some similarities in how they acted. It made his anger toward Kim soften slightly. She couldn't help it if some guy was attracted to her, and Tommy wasn't going to blame her.

"Guys are in the basement, girls have the upstairs." Jason stated, pulling Charlie toward the stairs to the basement and waving for Tommy and Edmund to follow. Kat had already headed down the hallway to a spare room and Kim had started for up the stairs. Edmund said a shy goodnight to Gwen before heading to the basement, and Gwen followed Kat.

"Are you alright Tommy?" Billy asked as he realized his friend was still standing in the living room. Tommy looked to him, then nodded as he followed the guys to the basement.

(Alright, so this one isn't my favorite, but it does have some good parts. I'd just like to take a moment to explain that I adore my silly Charlie! He's quite flirtatious and it work for him. Plus I like writing about Tommy being annoyed with him. When they actually become a team it will be LOTS of fun! ^^ Until tomorrow!

~Z.L.)


	14. Secrets of the Gems

**Zaley Love:** First off; my deepest apologies to you all for the delay. At first my laptop was in the shop, then I ended up going to a youth retreat over the weekend and wasn't 'allowed' to bring my laptop. I just got back yesterday afternoon. Secondly, I wanted to get this put up last night, but I was super tired when I wrote this and I wanted to proof read it in the morning when I could think clearly. Thirdly; for my need to even apologize. I should have informed you all in the previous chapter that I was going to be away for a few days, I am sincerely sorry everyone. To show my sincerity, I decided to reveal more about the 'gems'. I was going to wait and reveal this later, but felt that it would best fit into everything now. I hope it's helpful and you enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to insane people who thought it would be amusing to break Tommy's heart... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's house, 3 A.M._

"This is truly amazing; however did you work this out?" Vera stood inspecting the computer screen, looking at the layout Billy had just pulled up in response to a question. It was a map of the part of the galaxy in which her planet lay. It showed the distance, diameters, graphs and everything else she could think of. Well, almost everything. Billy's computer was limited, it couldn't show the woman what she longed to see; Tyro and Aiorth.

"It's not too difficult to understand once you can access the satellites. But it does help that I have some friends out there who have much more accurate scanners. Mine are relatively limited. These images are being bounced from their computer to a satellite that sends the data to me." Flipping through some papers and circling a few figures, Billy paused to look at the alien before him. In every aspect of her appearance she looked to be human, but she seemed to possess so much... well; _more._ Her tough exterior allowed you to see her as the warrior she was, but in her eyes; it was a whole different story. One that seemed to demand the attention of the former ranger.

"Vera, what's the connection of the gems and my friends?" He asked, taking a seat at the computer and altering some data. Though one might assume he wasn't paying attention; he was. Billy actually found it easier to listen while he was working. But again he paused. Only this time, because he could feel the strong gaze on his back. Turning, Billy was relieved to see a soft smile on Vera's lips. At least she wasn't frowning.

"We're not supposed to share the information of the gems with just anyone, but I sense that we are alike in many ways. And, I think that you're quite possibly the only person who can comprehend what's said without getting upset." Her response struck him as odd, but perhaps it was just her way of speaking. Billy nodded, motioning for her to continue. He hoped at least with her talking he'd have time to identify exactly what was so striking about her eyes.

"If I'm to explain the gems, then I must start at the beginning. For you see; the gems originated from people. The first people to reach our planet of Crystallian...

"In our histories, it is said that the first of our people had been exiled to a lifeless planet, now known as Crystallian. Where they themselves had come from, we aren't entirely sure. But there is some speculation that they were indeed, part human. How many exactly were exiled, I can't say. For it isn't easily accessible information. But we do know that because of these people; our planet was given life. Whilst trying to find some way to survive; our ancestors stumbled into what many people would call, a coal mine. Hopeless and dying, three that had fallen were unable to climb out of the mine. So, they found a dark corner, laid side-by-side, and offered up a prayed for the people above. They simply asked that their fellow companions would be given the chance to live. The three fell asleep in the mine, never to be seen again.

"After several days, two teenagers, my great-great-grandparents, fell into the mine. But this time, instead of finding the mine dark and lifeless, they found themselves surrounded by the most beautiful colors. The planet wasn't a lifeless globe like many believed. It was a dying world, looking for a source to restore it's life. The three who'd stayed behind figured this out. No one knows exactly how; but they entered a crevice in the mine, and gave their lives to restore the planet. Within three days there was flowing water. One week; fruit trees. Two years; a fully functioning city, full of people who possessed specific abilities_. _

"It's said we gained these abilities from the fruit and water. But I believe it's from the mines. More specifically; what's _in _the mines." Vera explained, her voice soft. Billy and Vera were the only two up, and she seemed to know that her tone ought to be kept as quiet as possible. At least if the others were to be kept asleep. Billy nodded, taking in her words with deep thought.

"And what would that be, exactly?" Billy asked, his attention diverted from the enigma of her eyes for the time being. It was difficult for him to believe that a planet could be restored due to three people. But he wasn't going to insult Vera by voicing this. She seemed to firmly believe it, and that was enough for him at the moment.

"Many, _many _gems. Of all different colors. As a child, there was never anything as beautiful as the mines in the evening. They seemed to shine the brightest with the last drops of daylight. But we can talk about that later, there are still a few things to explain...

"The gems seemed to be alive. Almost as if they possessed the very life of the people who died. Not just the three who saved the planet, but of any of our people after death. We bury our dead, so there are some who believe the ground takes their dying life source and transfers it into the mines for the gems. This theory has never been proved, but neither has it been proven false. As for myself; I think it is possible for that to be true. But for whatever reason; these gems are alive.

"Recently my brother had started his quest to find several specific precious gems; Sapphire, Emerald, Rudy, Pearl and Bloodstone. Legend states that these stone are actually able to help restore the missing links in our medical and scientific discoveries. Not only that, but it would make many of our other projects functional. So, Tyro went in search of these gems... and he found them. But at that same time; the Klyptoids found us. They're power crazed cyborgs. Mostly robot, and all male. They aren't born, but created. So their numbers are vast. Needless to say; they easily overpowered us. But not before my brother jettisoned the gems into your planet through a black hole.

"But there's still more to it Billy. And this is the part I'm going to need your full attention for. You may find this crazy, but these gems really are alive. They are just as much alive, as the people they're inside. So if their hosts die; the gems are destroyed. They choose people based on their endurance and calculated living ability. They're also drawn to strong people, to power; it leaves them feeling protected. But these gems are not fragile, as one would think. They will do whatever it takes to keep their hosts alive. So long as the gems are in them, your friends will cease to age, will recover instantly when hurt, and on occasions; return from death. This won't be easy for them, but they don't have much of a choice. The gems can't be removed, not to my knowledge. Tyro would know more about that, but he's being heavily guarded." Vera took this moment to pause, taking a few breaths as she shook her head, lost in thought. Billy took a few minutes to process the information and frowned. This wasn't going to be like the old ranger days. Looking to Vera, he caught her gaze. She was trying to read his emotions, or lack or emotions. And she seemed to be doing a good job.

"I can't explain much more, because we've never had any more information than this. I know this is a lot to grasp, but you might be encouraged to learn exactly why each person was chosen." Her statement was short and simple, but his brow rose in slight confusion.

"How can you know something like that?"

"Because, these gems are alive. They have meanings, they're going to select a host that fits with them best. As crazy as that might sound, it's true." Vera explained, a half smile returning to the corners of her mouth once again. She pulled up a seat next to Billy's as she took a paper and flipped it over. Billy watched as Vera began to write on the back of the page, letting it all sink in. He was a science guy, this wasn't too crazy to believe.

"Alright, so I've started making a list of the different gems, and the different meanings to them. After I finish this, you tell me based on the meanings who you think fits each gem." The way she spoke suggested that this could be considered some form of a guessing game. But both knew that it was more then a game. They didn't have time for this, and yet; Billy nodded in agreement. It wouldn't kill him to just take a few minutes away from the computer screen.

"Alright, take a look." Vera handed over the paper with a flourish, leaning back in the chair slightly as she watch Billy read through.

_Bloodstone – Endurance – Someone Tough – The Lion_

_Sapphire – Truth, Sincerity, Commitment, Loyalty – Someone Devoted – The Coyote_

_Emerald – Patient, Understanding, Foresight – Someone Quiet – The Cheetah_

_Pearl – Modesty, Purity, Beauty, Happiness – Someone Caring – The Gazelle_

_Ruby – Love, Success, Integrity, Passion, Promise – Someone Intense – The Gray Fox_

Reading over the paper Billy seemed to be making the connections. Though he didn't know much about Charlie, he'd assume he was the tough one. Gwen was caring, Edmund was quiet, and Tommy was definitively devoted. They had yet to meet the fifth person, but the traits seemed to make him cheerful; perhaps this mystery person wouldn't be too difficult to locate. But there was still a question in his mind.

"What about the animals, is that the one each person represents?" He inquired, glancing at the paper once more for a quick read through. Vera smiled over the paper at him, nodding vigorously. It was obvious she was glad he could catch on quickly.

"Yes, exactly. As for anything else, I can't be positive. It's likely that these gems will give your friends a few interesting 'power ups', but it could also just be a false cause for alarm. If anything, it would be simple things. Like Edmund might get the ability of foresight, or Gwen might be able to alter the gravitational pull on her or others. Nothing too crazy-"

"Actually, all of that would be crazy for them Vera, they aren't used to this." Billy cut in, setting down the paper and meeting her gaze.

"For Tommy, he can deal with it. He's used to this sort of thing happening. But you're going to have to help the others a lot. Before this week; they didn't even know about our connections to past power rangers. They're going to want a lot of information, but we have to be sure their main focus is understanding what's going on inside them because of the gems." He watched as Vera stood, nodding her head in agreement as she began to pace. It was at this moment that he realized exactly what was masked in this intelligent woman's eyes; fear. And Billy could only imagine that it was the fear of failure. Of messing up and being responsible for the death of a human. Right then, was when Vera was no longer an 'alien' in Billy's eyes. No, she was more then that. She was a friend, who cared deeply for her new 'students'. She wasn't going to risk them getting hurt. And that was exactly what she was telling herself.

"Vera?" Billy's voice echoed through her mind for a moment as she sighed. She was one of the elders on her planet, the youngest of the three. But at this moment, she felt much older than one hundred-forty. Vera, just like anyone else wielding the power of a gem; didn't age.

"I won't let them get hurt, but you have to let me explain everything in my own time. I have to decide when they're ready... will you promise not to say anything?" Vera turned around with her question so suddenly that Billy was surprised. But, recovering quickly, he shrugged.

"Alright, I won't. But you have to keep them safe. We haven't lost any of the originals yet, and I don't want to start now." Though she didn't fully understand his explanation, Vera did catch the meaning. She wouldn't let them get hurt, not if she could help it.

(Alright, there's chapter fourteen. I'm sorry it took a while to get up, but I hope you enjoy it. If you're confused by anything, feel free to message me or leave some feedback. I do, hope again, that you enjoy it, and that it's not just a bunch of monologue. Thanks again everyone!

~Z.L.)


	15. Pinky Promise

**Zaley Love:** Thank you all for the amazing feedback, 'tis very encouraging for me to get on and see so many responses! You can't imagine how it send my muse soaring! Before starting this chapter, I wanted to take the time to answer one question specifically. The question was posed by andyg2525.

In a sense, the gems _do _make their hosts 'immortal', but not entirely. It keeps them from aging, and heals them when they get wounded/hurt etc. But they _can _die. There are ways the gem can be 'disabled' by an external 'force', leaving them unable to heal. But of course they'd die if someone, you know; cut off their head, or something to that extent. But no worries, I don't plan on that happening to anyone... though I _have _considered it for Charlie. ;)

Now, without further ado; the next chapter!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

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**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's house, 9 A.M._

"JASON!" The shriek caused the conversation at the table to cease, forks hung in mid air as eyes shifted to the spot in the kitchen where Jason stood next to Kat making some eggs. Try as he might, he couldn't hide the half smile that tugged at his lips. It was obvious he had a secret. Kat eyed him suspiciously as she left the kitchen to head upstairs, wondering what Kim could be screaming about. Jason waited until Kat was halfway up the stairs to start backing out of the kitchen and to the basement door.

"What did you do?" Gwen started to ask, but froze when she heard Kat scream. There was no doubt in her mind that Jason would be in deep trouble now. Upstairs the shower was shut off.

"Come on Jase, aren't you getting a bit old for pranks?" Tommy sighed from across the table, shaking his head. Apparently Jason was very much the teenager he'd been years ago. And Kim had always been an easy target, amongst their enemies and friends alike.

"Never, you can grow up, I'm going to enjoy life a little... and I think I'll live a bit longer if I go to work about now." Jason responded, his laughter short lived as he saw the two females at the top of the stairs. Both were soaking wet, shivering, and sending him death glares.

"Alright, alright. So I adjusted the shower head a bit this morning; so kill me." He stated, crossing his arms as he fought off a smile. It was clear that wasn't all he'd done.

"Oh, so you're saying you weren't the one who rerouted the sink to turn on the shower?" Kat questioned, her tone stoney. She wasn't going to let him get away with this later.

"Or turn off the hot water, so we got shot with all the cold?" Kim chimed in, forcing her jaw to cease it's chattering as she stood at the top of the stairs, her arms wrapped around her torso. She'd been used to Jason's practical jokes as a teenager, and again when she'd come to visit. But this time; he'd caught her completely off guard, and she was _not _happy about this.

"Okay, so maybe I was responsible for those as well. But we can chat later; I've got early classes today. Bye!" Jason answered swiftly, ducking out the front door and making a sprint for his truck. Okay, so heading out to work only slightly delayed the verbal attack he'd receive later. At least he had the pleasure of seeing the girls after his prank; it gave him something to smile about.

"Don't you think you should dry off and change?" Tommy inquired, smirking at the pool of water that had started to form at the top of the stairs. He shook his head. Jason had gotten them good this time. Kat's head and torso had taken the brunt of the hit, while Kim was soaked completely trough. He watched as both women looked at themselves, then each other. Kat was the first to smile.

"You have to admit this was rather smart for him." She stated casually as she held onto the banister and walked slowly down the stairs. Her room was down the hall, so after reaching the bottom she turned and welcomed the thought of dry clothes.

"I never would have thought he was capable of this one." Kim said with a shake of her head, walking back to the bathroom and grabbing two towels. One for herself, the other for the stairs.

"I'll get the stairs, you go get changed." Gwen stood, maneuvering around the table and smiling at Kim. To Gwen, Kimberly was another extended member of the family. And though she did miss her mother, she wouldn't trade any of her 'new' family members for anything.

"Thanks Gwen." Kim said before tossing down the towel to the young woman. With Gwen taking care of the stairs, Kim sauntered toward the guest room in search for her dry clothes. It was a good thing she hadn't changed yet, or she would be borrowing clothes from Kat. Not like she hadn't before. But at least she had the comfort of being in her own clothes. She'd hardly slept a wink last night, having spent most of the night tossing and turning. She wasn't ready to accept what was happening here; not yet. Sure she could get used to the fact that she was housing a 'living' space gem, but was she really ready to put on a uniform again? With a sigh, Kim pulled on her khakis and black top. She considered throwing on her crimson jacket, namely because of how tightly the top hugged her torso, but decided against it. She wasn't going to got uncomfortably warm wearing a jacket in the house. Besides, she didn't work her butt off to have a good figure just to hide it.

"Come on Kim, you're breakfast is getting cold!" The blonde Aussie's voiced sounded from downstairs, causing Kim to smile as she finished pulling her hair up.

"Alright, alright; I'm here." Kimberly said with a small laugh as she took the stairs down two at a time, offering a smile to Gwen as the younger female headed to the couch.

"Wow, don't you clean up nicely." Charlie said, taking a seat near the desk. Billy, handing some papers to Vera, looked to Charlie and shook his head.

"If you're going to help, I need you to be paying attention." He scolded airily, not wanting Charlie to be confusing work with pleasure. This earned him a nod from Charlie, who turned back to the desk and gathered up a stack of paper. It was obvious Billy had decided to put him to work. Mostly to keep him from hounding Kimberly and annoying Tommy. Despite the issues the former couple had, Billy could noticed what they thought they hid so well; the lingering glances, soft smiles... it was obvious to anyone who paid attention. Which Charlie obviously didn't.

"So, what are the plans for today?" Kim asked, trying to clear the air from Charlie's last comment. The sour look on Tommy's face did not go unnoticed, and she wasn't relishing the thought of another argument with him. Taking a seat at the counter, Kim turned her back on the others in favor of the plate Kat offered.

"It looks delicious, thanks Kat." The petite brunette voiced as she looked at the plate. A slice of buttered toast along with an over-easy egg. A glass of orange juice was soon set beside the plate, earning Kat another smile. She knew Kimberly's appetite better then most.

"So, how long do you plan on staying Kim?" Kat inquired as she began to tidy up the kitchen, glancing at Kim with a questioning gaze. The question caught Kim off guard, her fingers freezing as she gripped the fork. It was obvious that nearly every gaze shifted to Kimberly's back, causing a knot to build in her stomach.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. I asked Adam to keep an eye on my apartment for a few days... but I don't know." Kim managed out, shrugging her shoulders in an attempt to shake off the feeling of the gazes focused on her. Kat looked at Kim, then nodded. She understood what her friend meant; it all depended on a certain person... the certain person who just happened to be unable to keep his gaze from Kimberly; Tommy.

"Just don't make any hasty decisions, you know we'd love to have you back around." Kat said with a nod, leaving off a minor addition after some thought. She wanted to hint to Kimberly in some way that even Tommy would eventually warm to having her around; but she couldn't very well do that with his gaze in their direction.

"Mm-hmm." Kim shrugged lightly, washing down a bite of toast with the orange juice. Tommy shook his head, turning his gaze toward the trio at the computer. Billy and Vera were comparing charts, while Charlie was smiling at Kim from over his paper. Fighting off the urge to say something, Tommy rolled his eyes and looked at Edmund. The young man was sitting in a chair just observing, not having said anything since taking his seat. Tommy could tell he was going to get along with this man. He was quiet and kept to himself... and the fact that he didn't seem infatuated with Kim was always a plus. Sure he had no claim to her, but he wasn't about to let someone like Charlie end up with Kim.

"Well, now that we all seem to be awake and able to process things properly; I think it's time you hear what Vera shared with me last night." Billy started, his voice easing the discomfort that had seemed to settle over the room. Eyes turned to him, questioning and worried. Vera took this moment to step forward with a smile.

"Now, first I must be clear that I will not tell you everything right off. You have to understand that some things are best kept for later." As Vera's statement settled in, Gwen shifted in her seat. Taking a moment to look at everyone, Vera seemed to sadden. They were all so different from what she'd been expecting. Sure Tommy was a former ranger, but still; what of the others? Were they ready to deal with being a freak, healing from injuries faster then normal... cheating death? That wasn't the worst that would happen. No, the hardest part would be living to see friend and family die, while they remained unchanged.

"The gems that have entered your systems, are living. They, just like humans; have a need for survival. They selected hosts based on heart, body and mind. Basically; you're endurance and calculated living ability. None of you have the same gem, I can't explain why you were chosen, but I can tell you some particulars of the gems that might help decipher why the gems chose you four." By now, she had their full attention. Even Kimberly had turned with a brow knit in confusion. Apparently the thought of something _living _inside her friends bothered her... or was it something more? Vera continued.

"The five gems that are here, living inside people, all have very different defining traits. Bloodstone, Sapphire, Emerald, Pearl and Ruby are the five. Just as I did last night for Billy, I'll show you the list of gems with their traits. You can try and guess from the list which gem you were selected by." As she spoke, Vera shifted through some papers and smiled as she lifted one and passed it to Tommy. After looking at the paper, he glanced to Vera and sighed as she nodded.

"Bloodstone – Endurance – Someone Tough – The Lion." He paused, raising a brow as he shot a look to Vera.

"Personality traits _and _animals?" His question was common enough, Vera responded with a nod.

"Please continue."

"Bloodstone – Endurance – Someone Tough – The Lion.

Sapphire – Truth, Sincerity, Commitment, Loyalty – Someone Devoted – The Coyote.

Emerald – Patient, Understanding, Foresight – Someone Quiet – The Cheetah.

Pearl – Modesty, Purity, Beauty, Happiness – Someone Caring – The Gazelle.

Ruby – Love, Success, Integrity, Passion, Promise – Someone Intense – The Gray Fox." Tommy finished, taking another silent read-through of the page. He could see there were similarities with himself and a few of the gems. But the one he felt more pulled to, he wouldn't dare say out loud while a certain brunette was in the room.

"Hey, 'someone quiet' reminds me of _someone._" Gwen said, lightly elbowing Edmund's arm. He gave a soft laugh as he nodded.

"Wouldn't surprise me, but that would leave you being the Gazelle, someone caring. The other animals just don't match you as well." This caused Gwen to tap her chin then smile. Edmund thinking she was somewhat like a gazelle was sweet, especially after her klutziness at work.

"I can tell you which gem you all have." Vera said, looking to the four in turn, but oddly enough ending on Kim with a gaze that seemed to express that she knew. Kim turned from Vera's gaze and gulped down the last of her juice before taking her dishes to the kitchen. Billy watched Kimberly, with a curious gaze. He was obviously lost in thought.

"But, instead of me spoiling that surprise, I'll show _you_ how to be sure on your own." Vera said, walking toward the back door, stopping once to pull Edmund and Gwen to their feet and in tow after her. Tommy handed Billy the paper back, and followed after the others. Charlie was next, soon followed by Kat. Kimberly hesitated, but after a glance toward Billy she continued. His gaze seemed to be showing the connections he was making. Billy was the last out the door, the paper still in his hand.

"Alright, because Gwen is the female of the bunch, she'll get the chance to go first." As Vera spoke, she pulled Gwen after her, stopping about ten feet from the group and stepping in front of Gwen. She instructed her to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths.

"Calm your nerves, there's nothing to be worried about. This won't hurt at all, in fact; you should find this rather relieving. The gems need to be used, if you go for several days without any form of the gem's energy being used; you'll find yourself unable to sleep, mostly numb and quite irritable. If you feel this happening, just calm yourself... take a few deep breaths... close your eyes... and, in your mind's eye; picture a gem in your hand." As she explained, Vera spoke softly and smiled. The stone on her necklace began to glow as something seemed to be taking place inside Gwen.

"Don't be afraid Gwen." Vera whispered to the female, her gaze falling to Gwen's left hand. A soft white glow encompassed the young woman's closed hand for a moment, fading to reveal a glow hidden inside her fist. Gwen opened her eyes, brow knit in confusion as she looked at her own hand and opened it up. There, in the palm of her hand rested a perfectly round pearl.

"Lovely. Most gems often appear in a crude cut, but a pearl is always a perfect circle." Vera explained, turning to look at the others with a quizzical glance.

"Who would care to try next?" She inquired, smiling as the three guys eyed each other and stepped forward. Gwen stood, eyes still transfixed on the pearl in her hand. A faint smile pulled at her lips as she gasped.

"It-it knows my name! Is it supposed to be able to speak?" Gwen asked, closing her hand quickly and looking to Vera. She backed away toward Kat. Sure; she'd heard Vera say the gems were alive, but she hadn't expected it to have a voice and be speaking to her! Vera turned to glance at Gwen casually and smiled.

"As odd as it sounds, yes. Your gems can communicate with you, and the other gems. No matter how close or far apart you are. This will be helpful for finding the fifth person, and will serve you well should any of you be alone and in danger. But you can't force the gems to speak, they have minds of their own, and will speak only when they want. They can also be rather selfish, so you ought to pay attention when they do speak." The way in which she spoke, making it sound as gems speaking was such a natural thing, seemed to calm Gwen down. At least she wasn't going crazy.

"Are the gems referred to as what type they are, or do they have their own names?" Edmund inquired, looking at the rough emerald shard in his hand with a smile. Vera, her hand around the purple gem at her neck.

"Just as your gems speak to you, you may speak to them. Whether they reply or not is entirely their choice." She said, seeming to smile at a joke between herself and someone unseen. Billy watched at the different facial expressions on the four as they looked at their hands. Only Tommy didn't look shocked. He'd had a talking sword known as Saba, so why would a talking gem be so different? Billy cast a look toward Kimberly and saw a mixture of emotions battling on her face. Drawing as little attention as possible, Billy approached Kim with a raised brow.

"Can I have a word with you inside Kim?" He asked lightly, not wanting to alarm her or anyone else. Kimberly, avoiding his gaze, nodded and quickly turned to the doors. Once inside, Billy shut the door and offered the paper to her. Kimberly tried to look confused, but there was a look of worry that Billy caught.

"It bothered me much of last night, after Vera explained the gems to me. I recognized the traits, but forced myself to believe you weren't capable of lying to everyone like this. But your eyes give you away Kim. The gem is what caused your accident, that's why your head wound is gone already..." He paused, watching as Kimberly let her facade fall. She sighed, taking a seat and dropping her face into her hands. He knew... he'd found her out.

"Please, let me tell them in my own time. I'm still trying to accept the fact that even though I didn't ask to be given another suit; I'm stuck with it. I'm sure I'll learn to appreciate it, but I just need to take this in my own time Billy. Please?" Kim looked up to him, her eyes begging with her words. How could he not agree? Shrugging, Billy took a seat and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'll agree if you just promise me one thing Kim."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll stop with the secrets. I know you've had your reasons before, but please; no more after this." He stated, his words causing her to involuntarily flinch. Kim nodded solemnly. Then , trying to lighten the mood a bit; she lifted her hand and offered her pinky. This action caused Billy to laugh as he shook his head, linking his pinky with hers and smiling.

"Pinky promise." Kim said with a half smile.

"Yes, 'Pinky' better promise." Billy said with a wink, smiling as Kim's laughter filled the room. Their laughter seemed to catch Vera's attention, as she entered the back door and looked between the two curiously, then smiled.

"Don't worry, the Intense One's secret will be her own to share." She said, directing her gaze to Kimberly. After raising a brow, Kim looked at the paper, then smiled.

"Thanks." She said simply, growing quiet once again as the door opened and the five from outside filed in. Gwen's eyes sparkling as she looked at the pearl then to Vera.

"Alright, we know how to call them out, now what?" Charlie asked, a black and red shard in his hand. Kim watched the four, then smiled. That meant Tommy was left with Sapphire. Blue, a color he'd never been in before. She smiled, glancing at the paper. Ruby. A new color for her as well. Just as she was handing the paper back to Billy, two words caught her eyes. _'Someone Devoted.' _The traits for the Sapphire began to flash through her mind and she became curious. Tommy definitely possessed truth and sincerity, commitment was obvious from a former leader, and he was absolutely loyal. So being 'Devoted' didn't have to mean to a certain someone, right? Besides, for all she knew, he could have had several other girlfriends since her. She shook the thought from her mind. No, she wouldn't let thoughts such as these drive her sanity from her... not again.

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(Alright, so sorry it's taken me a few days to conjure this up. I have to say I changed the direction this went several times before getting it done. Thanks for the encouragement, and please review!

~Z.L.)


	16. Confessions and Accusations

**Zaley Love:** Alright, this chapter was finished much sooner than I had expected. And I am very happy with it! ^^ thanks for all the feedback everyone!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I do own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

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**Angel Grove, CA**

_The Mall..._

Without needing much persuading, Kimberly allowed herself to be tempted to go out to the mall. This earned many annoyed grunts from the guys, though Charlie showed interest in going. Kat insisted that it be a girls day out, especially for Kim. The girl needed to shop for new clothes, her suitcase did get thrown from the car. And whatever clothes she had packed were now ruined. So, Kat, Kim Gwen and Vera were now taking their sweet time shopping. Though Vera had protested at first, Kat and Kim both insisted that she would need some decent clothes until she could get back to Crystalline. After that, she conceded to borrow an outfit from Kat and join them in their shopping day. That had been three hours ago. It was now edging on to one in the afternoon, leaving Kat and Gwen exhausted of all the walking. So, they were sitting on a bench outside the changing rooms while Kim and Vera tried several things on.

"Kat knows my weakness for shopping, but if you get tired too just let me know and we can head back to the house." Kim said with a smile, stepping out of the dressing room to inspect her form in the mirror. A plaid flannel shirt warmed her torso and brought a smile to her face. For whatever reason, Kim had always loved the feeling of flannel. It was so comfortable and warm. Plus, if you made it plaid; well she simply had to have it. Paired with jeans, any wash; and you looked great.

"I assure you, I will be the last to tire. Where I'm from, we don't tire easily." Vera said, not needing to be told to avoid the topic of her outer space home in the public. She may have been new to Earth, but she was not stupid. Quite the contrary, she was very intelligent.

"Good, we'll get along just wonderfully." Kim said with a laugh as she turned from the mirror and looked at Vera, who'd just stepped out of her dressing room. Both Vera and Kim began to laugh. They were wearing the same shirt, only in different colors. Kimberly's was a deep crimson, while Vera's was a light shape of purple.

"I believe we will Kimberly." Vera said with a smile. Both women returned to the dressing rooms, changing back into their casual clothes.

"Kim, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Vera stated simply as they sorted through the pile of clothes, keeping a hold on what they would be purchasing. Kim turned her gaze to Vera, cocking her head to the side.

"Shoot." She said casually, draping the plaid flannel over her arm. Definitely a keeper. She saw that Vera was keeping hers as well and smiled. They shared some similarities in style, and Kim found that comforting. Aisha had been Kim's shopping buddy, but the woman was avoiding her like the plague. Kim sighed, glad that Kat had never shunned her on her return.

"Is Dr. Oliver your soul mate?" Vera's question was blunt and to the point, but it took Kimberly a moment to collect her thoughts. What would prompt Vera to ask such a question? Vera noticed Kim's shock at the question, then turned to her with a raised brow.

"Oh, well I guess here you would say spouse, or boyfriend." Her explanation only served to make Kim shake her head, easing herself into a bench as she looked to Vera.

"No, I- he- _we_ aren't anything... not anymore. Why do you ask?" Kim stuttered through her answer, having difficulty sorting through her own thoughts. Vera looked at her suddenly confused, taking a seat next to Kim with a questioning gaze.

"But you love each other. It's obvious to one who knows what to look for. Tommy looks at you the way Aiorth looks at me. Sure he seems to harbor some anger toward you, but that has never stopped anyone on my planet from being together. Besides, your eyes say what your mouth cannot, or rather; will not." Vera spoke without any hesitation or confusion. She seemed to only be confused with Kimberly's answer.

"Vera, we, he and I; _can't_ be. I hurt him, and though it was years ago; the pain is still there. He tries so hard to hide it, but I can feel it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I still, to this day, love him. But it's not the same anymore. Where you say there's 'love' in his gaze, I see pain... even regret. He can't, or won't, forgive me; and I don't blame him." Kim's tone was one full of remorse and sadness, something she tried her best to mask around the others. Tommy especially. She couldn't keep it from her gaze most of the time, but she was good at masking it in her voice. Until this moment, she'd never fessed up to her feelings for Tommy. It was relieving and dreadful all at the same time. Perhaps she just needed to move on... wouldn't Charlie be only too eager to help her.

"So strong, and yet so fragile. Kimberly, you're not meant to be alone. Everyone has someone. Even if something happened to upset the balance you once had in a relationship; you shouldn't give up..." Vera sighed, standing and cupping Kimberly's jaw in her hands. Her own eyes were slightly misty. _Tommy hasn't._ Vera silently thought to herself as she looked to Kimberly then shook her head.

"You've admitted to someone else your love for him, but don't you think Tommy has a right to know how you feel before you get help from someone else to get over him?" Vera's statements had surprised Kim, and angered her. Why did everyone insist that she was the damsel? And how did Vera seem to know exactly what was on her mind? Kim jerked her head away from Vera's hand and stood, turning her back on the woman as she wiped her tear rimmed eyes.

"You can't imagine what I've been through, so don't start preaching to me. And another thing; get out of my head! Your gem, or just your species obviously gives you a glimpse into other people's minds; how else can you explain knowing these secrets or what I was _just_ thinking." Kim turned around, lashing out at Vera in her annoyance. She used this moment to mask her hurt and fragility with anger and frustration. Vera looked surprised, but her gaze quickly fell as her hand settled on the gem at her neck. She was shocked at being called out, and Kim was suddenly regretting her outburst.

_At Ernie's..._

Jason laughed as he was yet again, pinned to the ground by Tommy. After all these years, Tommy could still best him. They had always been closely matched, but when push came to shove; Tommy was the better martial artist. And Jason wasn't one bit envious. No, he only envied Tommy when it came to being a ranger. But that didn't affect the two's friendship at all. The only thing, or rather; person, to harm their friendship was Kimberly. She was the one person they could argue over for hours.

"Alright man, I'm done beating you. Why don't you give Edmund some pointers. He doesn't seem like a fighter, and he'll need some assistance." Tommy said through labored breaths, pulling Jason to his feet. Tommy had been keeping up with his fighting on his own for the last six months, so it was enjoyable to actually be sparring with another person. Wiping the sweat form his brow, he looked to where Edmund stood at the counter, in a conversation with Ernie.

"Yeah, or you could whip that Charlie into shape. I swear, I almost got sick watching him falling all over Kimberly. Who does he think he is anyway?" Jason said with a shake of his head. Both men turned to look in Charlie's direction. The man was propped against the wall watching the different people come and go. But his face seemed to carry a look of caution, or worry. Tommy would have felt concerned for the younger man, if he wasn't too busy being frustrated with him. Alright, so the was no 'him and Kim', that didn't mean he was supposed to be overjoyed watching some guy everyone -including Kim- had _just_ met, playing it up to her. Especially not when he and Kim hadn't exactly cleared the air between them. There were still many questions and answers to be dealt with.

"I'd rather not. Knowing with how I'm feeling right now; I wouldn't be able to stop myself once I started pounding on him." Tommy admitted, shaking his head. Jason knew him better then most. He knew that when emotions were weighing heavily on Tommy's mind, he wouldn't be able to control himself while fighting someone who couldn't hold their own. Jason nodded, then waved Charlie over.

"I'll give him some pointers, you take a break." Jason said with a nod, watching as Charlie approached with a careless glance between the two. The air with which he carried himself around was only second in what he disliked the most about the man. He felt badly for Tommy, who would have to get used to working on the same team with this guy.

"Lets spar." Jason said to Charlie, taking a few steps out onto the mats and waiting for Charlie to follow. Tommy slightly smiled as he shook his head, starting to walk away.

"You're kidding right? The whole martial arts isn't my thing. I guess you could say I'm more of the street fighter, then all the animal moves fighter." He replied airily, turning to look at the door as another group of people entered. Nobody he knew, thankfully. He looked to Jason, then gave a half smile.

"So, how long have you known Kimberly, she said that you're like her brother. So you two must be pretty close." Both Jason and Tommy froze as Charlie brought up Kimberly. Charlie looked at him expectantly, but Jason was watching Tommy. He wasn't worried about Tommy's safety, no; far from it. He was worried that Tommy might tear Charlie to pieces if he got a hold of him.

"Listen Charlie, Kim practically is my little sister, and I care about her. So why don't you do us all a favor, and leave her alone. She's gone through a lot these past few years, and doesn't need you to be adding into her already stressful life." Jason said firmly, his eyes returning to Charlie, who rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"Well, she doesn't seem to mind; if you catch my drift." Charlie's careless statement was the last straw for Tommy, and Jason could see it in his friend's eyes; Charlie was going to get a beating. Before Jason could say anything, even a warning to Charlie; Tommy jumped at him. Jason flinched as he watched the impact. Fists went flying, and it was obvious Tommy had the upper hand.

"Tommy, get off him!" Jason yelled, trying to separate the two. Neither budged, as Charlie began to throw punches back. It was obvious he didn't understand the meaning of the attack. Stupid man. Who wouldn't know that the attack was brought on by Charlie's careless remarks about Kim?

_At the mall..._

"I- I'm sorry Kimberly. Where I'm from, it's a most natural thing, and I forget that here, you all don't have access to every one's thoughts on a daily basis. It's a hard habit to quit. It is, in part, because of my gem. I am truly sorry to have upset you, I had no intentions of doing so. I asked questions I had no right to ask." Vera spoke calmly. Human emotions were very different from her own people. Humans seemed to be given to anger and sadness more then her own people. It would be just another difference to get used to.

"Kim, Vera; is something wrong?" Kat's voice reached them from the entrance to the dressing rooms. They'd gotten much louder then Kimberly had intended. With a sigh, she shook her head, looking to Vera with a sad gaze.

"Vera, I didn't mean to snap. Relationships just aren't one of my favorite conversation topics. I lose my cool and blow a fuse or two... I'm sorry." With both looking sad and apologetic, they exchanged a hug and exited the dressing room. Vera was begging to see just the brief glimpses into Kimberly's intensity. At first she didn't believe Kim fit that part of the Ruby trait. But now; she could most definitely see it.

"Nothing big Kat, just a little confusion." Kim said with a nod from Kat, obviously not going to push for answers from her friend. Gwen followed behind with a smile, noticing the identical shirts Vera and Kim were buying. At the register, Kim insisted on paying, so no one argued.

"You guys, dinner is on me. Kat made breakfast, Vera covered lunch, and Kim covered the shopping; so I've got dinner covered. But on one condition; we eat at Ernie's." Gwen said with a smile, glad when no one protested. So, the girls made their way to Kat's car with all the shopping bags. Stopping at Jason's first to unload the bags, and to let Kim and Vera change. As previously agreed upon, both woman returned to the car in their plaid flannels, and jeans. Kim wore a light weight white t-shirt under her flannel button up, while Vera had opted for a black one. Kat was glad to see them getting along, especially after the bits of the argument she'd heard.

"Well, Billy said the guys are at Ernie's, so we might catch them if they're still there. He also said he wouldn't be joining us for dinner because he just ate." Kimberly said as she shut the passenger side door, buckling up as Kat pulled out of the driveway and headed back into town. The others nodded, and silence settled over the group.

_At Ernie's_

Jason was soon joined by Edmund and Ernie in his attempts to separate Tommy and Charlie. He and Edmund pulling on Tommy, while Ernie kept a good hold on Charlie. It took a couple tries, but they finally managed to pull the two apart. Tommy glared at them, but his gaze was returned to Charlie. It was obvious Charlie had suffered the brunt of the attack, sporting a busted lip, bleeding nose and what looked to be a swollen jaw. Tommy managed to escape with a small cut through his eyebrow, and a split lip.

"What the heck is your problem?" Charlie demanded in a nasally voice, his hands gripping his injuries. One on his jaw, the other at his nose. Tommy tried to lunge at him again, but Edmund and Jason held him back.

"He's not worth it man, just chill." Jason advised Tommy in a low voice as he fought to keep him restrained. Tommy stopped struggling but looked Charlie dead in the eye.

"Don't you _ever_ let me hear you talk about Kim like that. First off, she's not your play thing. And secondly; she's way out of your league. You're only making things harder for her." Tommy said, spitting out the blood that was building up in his mouth. Charlie glared at him, but thought it better not to make any smart remarks. The doors opened followed by some gasping.

"What in the world... Jase!" Kat exclaimed, running over to where Jason stood with his arms still holding back Tommy. Behind her Gwen, Vera and Kimberly followed slowly. Everyone seemed to be taking in the scene. With things having cooled down, Ernie released Charlie and went to get some towels. Gwen followed behind him to offer some help.

"They were just letting off some steam, that's all." Edmund said, letting go of Tommy's arm after he seemed to loosen up. Vera didn't look surprised, or very interested for long, and simply walked to find an empty table. Kimberly looked between Tommy and Charlie with disgust.

"You think beating each other into a bloody-pulp is a good way to let off steam?" She demanded, shaking her head as she began to walk away. She lifted her hands to stop either from replying as she began to follow after Vera.

"Tommy, what happened?" Kat asked lightly, not wanting to be too loud. Charlie sulked away, shooting a glare at Tommy. But Tommy didn't see. His gaze had trailed after Kimberly. She'd taken a seat at the table with her back to them. It was obvious that she wasn't at all happy with either of them. He shook his head, looking to Kat with a shrug.

"Does it even matter?"He shot out, walking toward the bathroom to wash up. His cuts had already mended, so he only needed to worry about washing the blood off his face. He wouldn't be able to handle all this just yet. Kim was in Angel Grove, and had been around for the past several years, he was already becoming part of a new team and there was a planet to save. Why did these things all have to be happening at once?

"Kim, you can't be mad at him. That Charlie guy deserved it. If Tommy hadn't pounced on him first; I would have." Jason said with a shake of his head, trying to get Kim to soften. It wasn't working.

"Jase, he's an adult. Adults don't deal with their disapproval of people by beating the crap out of them. We talk things out. I know Tommy isn't the type to fight without a reason, but you have to admit that he has been obviously hostile toward Charlie ever since he arrived." She said with a sigh, dropping her head into her hands. Vera patted her shoulder affectionately, as a dear friend or sister might, and shook her head.

"Kim, you can't blame it all on Tommy though. There are two sides to every story. I think Charlie is as much at fault as Tommy. You can't say one's worse then the other. They both got into the fight." Vera said with a shrug, turning to look at Charlie. He was now leaning against a wall, massaging his jaw. It wasn't swollen anymore.

"Kim, it's not his disapproval of Charlie, it's his rage at the things Charlie has the nerve to say." Jason took this moment to stand and leave, not wanting to be the one to explain all the details of the comments before the fight. If Tommy wanted to tell Kim, he could. But Jason sure wasn't going to do that.

"I'm not very hungry anymore. You guys stay and eat, I'm gonna go for a little walk. Maybe to the park or somewhere." Kim said, pushing herself up from the seat and shaking her head. Without another word, she left the group in favor of the outdoors and a silent walk. But she wasn't the only one who'd opted for a walk instead of a group meal.

"Where's Tommy?" Kat asked as Jason returned to the table alone. He took a seat next to her and shook his head with a sigh.

"He said he just needed some air, he was going to walk around for a bit." Jason said, then noticed Kim's absence and couldn't resist a smile.

"They're just bound to meet up eventually. I just don't get why they keep this annoyance routine going; can't he just kiss her and make everything better?" Jason asked, pecking Kat's cheek with a raised brow.

"Jason, if you kiss me do you think I'm going to instantly forget about the cold water this morning?" She inquired, raising a brow. Jason grinned sheepishly and stood.

"Perhaps I should go help out Gwen and Ernie with our dinner." He excused himself quickly and Kat smiled, shaking her head as she looked to Vera. Her eyes were still in Charlie's direction, and she seemed to look worried. Kat followed her gaze, and noticed a few men having a low conversation with Charlie. Charlie didn't look too pleased at seeing these men either. Who were they?

* * *

(Okay, so I had tons of muse left and was going to post this right after my last chapter, but then I saw the time and realized I would have to proof read in the morning. So, yeah. I posted it after proof reading! Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter, please review this one! Also, I used several differnt programs to assist with the grammer and spelling; did it help?

~Z.L.)


	17. Isn't it Ironic, Don't You Think?

**Zaley Love:** I am so beyond sorry for having taken so long to get back to you all. Apparently, my 'gently' used laptop was not used gently. The motherboard went out, and I had to wait for it to be repaired… or so I was told. Instead of getting my old laptop back yesterday; I got a BRAND NEW DELL! ^^ So excited to be back in the writing zone! I will do my best to post a chapter regularly, but I will be alternating between this story, and a request I should be posting the first installment to soon. Thanks for the support everyone! You are amazing!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative than myself... but I do own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_In the park..._

Kim walked around the park with a half dazed look. She hadn't been to the park on her own since coming back. It had always seemed like such a hard feat to accomplish. And yet, here she was today; walking around alone and not getting too emotional. Alright, so she had shed some tears when first entering the park, but nothing more... yet. Following a familiar path, Kim soon found herself approaching the pond. Having been lost in thought, she didn't even notice a man walking around from the other side.

"Kim?" A masculine voice shook Kimberly form her thoughts as she looked up to see Tommy standing a few feet to her right. She quickly brushed something from her face and cleared her throat.

"Did you just happen to end up here too, or did Kat send you after me?" Her tone was civil, but edged with obvious annoyance. She couldn't stand when her friends meddled with her relationship issues with Tommy. If anything was ever going to change between them, it had to be his or her decision. Not prompting from the others. Waiting for a reply, she looked to Tommy with an arched brow. Her gaze softened as she realized he was just looking at her.

"Kim we're adults, not teenagers. I came out here for some air, I didn't even check in with the others before going." Tommy said with a shrug, leaning against a tree as he inspected the petite woman. She was every bit the girl her remembered in high school, but with something more. She seemed…. tense, easily irritable. Almost as if she was expecting the worse to occur without taking time to consider the pros and cons. What had happened to make her so afraid to live?

"Oh, so now we're adults again?" Kim scoffed, shaking her head as she averted her gaze. She couldn't hold his gaze. It was so penetrating, so strong… and yet; it was also soft and caring. How could he still look at her like that after all these years? Why couldn't she just leave the past behind and move on?

"'We' have never been adults Kim. You and I have been avoiding growing up since high school." Tommy said, now smiling coyly. There was something about being able to talk to her that calmed his worry. He had never stopped worrying about her, even after that letter. Being around her let the worry slip away, opening the space for an entirely different feeling. One he wasn't willing to share. Kim's gaze quickly flashed back to him, and he arched a brow.

"We- I…. You…." Kim stumbled through her words, something she had done plenty of times around Tommy. Searching for a reply, Kim looked to Tommy. He was smiling. The same charming smile that always sent her heart racing, the same one that had kept her going without him. Try as she might to stay serious, Kim found herself laughing.

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" Kim said with a smile, shaking her head lightly as she looked to the water. There was something about Tommy that made it impossible to remain frustrated with him. Tommy let out his own laugh, running a hand through his spiked hair.

"The feeling's mutual." He responded with a barely audible sigh, looking around the empty park. It was quiet out. Quietness unnerved Tommy. He had been a ranger long enough to know it was always quiet before the storm. Or perhaps he was just growing paranoid.

"I used to be like that too." Kim's voice brought him back to his senses, turning his head Tommy looked at her quizzically. She just smiled as she took a seat on a rock at the edge of the pond.

"Paranoid whenever it was quiet, it's an easy feeling to grow accustomed to. Don't try to deny it either, your face a minute ago was proof enough." She explained, earning her a smile as Tommy pushed off the tree and approached the pond. Stopping a yard away, he just looked at her.

"What happened to you Kim? You used to be full of life and excited; now you seem scared and jumpy… you're hiding something, aren't you?" His question was so unexpected, Kim looked surprised. She turned her eyes to the water and bit her bottom lip. Now he really knew she was keeping something hidden. Wasn't she tired of these games yet?

"Kim, look at me." Tommy said, his tone edging into one with more authority. She kept to avoiding his gaze. When had they started to lock each other out like this? What happened to them? They used to be able to see right into the other's heart in a glance. Now, they were throwing up their defenses and lashing out at each other. They might not be ready for a serious relationship, but Tommy didn't want this new pattern to be their only interactions.

"Kim, look at me." Each word was spoken slowly. Tommy's voice was soft and concerned. The voice Kim had given up all hope of ever hearing again. But she closed her eyes, fighting off the urge to cry. Before either knew what was happening; Tommy took Kim by her arms and lifted her to her feet. He refused to release her shoulders. Kim's eyes flashed open, her skin burning where his hands were. They were so close, closer than either looked comfortable with. But Tommy wouldn't let her go.

_At Ernie's…_

"Look Vince, I really can't talk right now. Not here, we can meet up later at the warehouse or something." Charlie said casually as he looked at the man across from him. Vince looked annoyed, which wasn't a good thing for the little man. And in this situation, Charlie was that little man.

"Charlie, you're a smart guy. You know I appreciate your sense of humor. But I don't like trusting a guy who skips out on me twice. The way I see it, you have two options." Their voices were low, as they were in a public place. Charlie could see Kat and Vera watching them from the table. Jason had recently joined them, but he wasn't sitting anymore.

"Option one; you can lose your kidneys. Option two; you can make it up to me by wasting a few people tonight at the warehouse." Vince nodded to the man on his left. A fist met Charlie's jaw, while a second met his gut. Vince and the two men smiled, making their exit. Jason no long stood near the table; he helped Charlie up and lifted a brow.

"Friends of yours, they sure left in a hurry." He commented, earning him a smirk from Charlie. His jaw had taken quite a beating today, and yet; it was still intact. He would seriously enjoy this new change in himself from the gem.

"Not exactly… more like the jerks you can never escape in life." Charlie responded nonchalantly. He was used to dealing with Vince, why would he suddenly feel any different about that sort of thing simply because he was around different people? Jason gave him a look and then shrugged.

"Well, I guess everyone has about given up on sitting down and eating together. We're going to head back to the house; you're more than welcome to join us if you want." Jason offered, looking to Kat as she approached. She was followed by Gwen and Edmund, who seemed to be in a deep conversation about some book, and Vera. Charlie shrugged and then nodded.

"Alright, I haven't got much else to do." He said, running a hand through his hair. Then something occurred to him.

"What happened to Kim… and Tommy?" Charlie posed, thinking it better to ask about both instead of just asking for one. It was obvious they didn't approve of his growing friendship with Kim, or the sprawl between Tommy and himself. Jason shook his head, and Vera smiled.

"What appears to have happened, in my eyes at least, is they have both gone for a walk to be alone, and might possibly end up running into the other." Vera said with a bemused expression. She found the human emotions difficult to understand, but very entertaining. They were very different from the Crystallians in the way they reacted. Where humans seemed more intent on fueling their negative emotions, Crystallians work on cultivating their positive emotions. What strange people these earth beings were.

"Oh, well are we just going to leave without them then?" Charlie asked calmly, not wanting people to think he was overly attached to Kimberly. He wasn't sure why he was so drawn to her in the first place. Perhaps it was true; forbidden fruit is always tempting. Not that anyone had to come right out and tell him to back off of her; it was very much implied with the looks they gave him. Being very much the bad boy though, Charlie wasn't a very good listener.

"No, we'll wait outside for them. Besides, one or both of them would be annoyed if we left them alone together." Kat said with a sigh. Just like Jason, she too wished Tommy and Kim would get past whatever was holding them back. Mostly it had to do with Kim's inability to be completely honest with him. Gwen bummed into Vera and apologized, causing the other to laugh gently. But the laughter soon disappeared.

"Hey wait, did you all hear that?" Edmund asked, quickly glancing about the empty parking lot. A few people milled about, getting in and out of vehicles. But there was something else. A soft humming, no louder than the wind, met their ears.

"What's that?" Jason's question was soon forgotten as a flash of light soared through the sky. A crash could be heard in the distance, as the ground shook from the impact. Something wasn't right here. Only Vera remained composed, but even she didn't look calm. No, she looked discouraged.

"They're here. Obviously the two that were sent down with me made it back to Crystalline." Vera's usually calm and even voice seemed edged with a new emotion that had yet to see in her; panic. Her eyes darted around cautiously before she took off running in the direction of the park.

"Wait, who's here? And didn't the crash happen over there? Why are you running to the park?" Jason threw out many questions, but received no answer as the female disappeared behind a trail of bushes. This wasn't good. He looked to Charlie, Gwen and Edmund. Could these three possibly take up a challenge of protecting people?

"You three better do whatever you need to get your gems to help you, because it looks like you're about to face your first set of monsters." Kat said in a quiet voice as she edged closer to Jason and pointed. Just as she lifted her hand to the cyborgs approaching from the area toward the crash, a scream sounded in the opposite direction. The scream was an all too familiar one to Jason and Kat.

_The Park, several minutes before…_

Tommy didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if he should shake her, or caress her. Leave her or stay… hate her; or love her. Or course he knew that he wouldn't leave her, and he wouldn't shake her either. Tommy couldn't hurt Kim. He had always been very careful with her. Gentle and slow. But at this moment, he wanted to shake sense into her. Couldn't she see what she was doing to him? He didn't want an apology anymore; he just wanted an answer to his question. Kim's eyes met his, and what he saw there caused him to let her arms go. His Kim, the one he'd loved so tenderly; was staring at him with a deep fear. Sure she tried to mask it with her anger, or hide it with her jabs. But it was there. He knew her well enough to see that. And it hurt him to see her afraid of him. But was it really him she was afraid of, or his reaction?

"What are you afraid of Kim?" He asked, turning from her as he shook his head. How ironic that they are dealing with their former relationship problems at the place where they shared their first kiss… the place where that relationship first blossomed. If only they were back to the beginning. Back to when they were innocently sweet and predictable… back to when her could simply look at her and know what she was thinking.

"Is it me? Are you afraid of me?" Tommy faced her once again, and Kim wished he hadn't. His tone of voice was not the Tommy she knew. He sounded hurt. He was hurt because she was afraid. Looking into his eyes, she could see all the pain he did so well at hiding. He was so strong, carrying all his hurts and not letting them show. Yes, he was much stronger than she was. But looking at him now, she could see every bit of pain that Tommy suffered, in his eyes. All the pain brought on to him from her. It was too much to bear. Tommy looked away for a moment, looking about as if he'd heard something. Kim felt her eyes tearing up, so she tried to blink back the tears.

"I-" Kim started to speak, but was interrupted by a crash. The impact shook the ground, causing them to lose their footing. Kim fell into the water, Tommy against the rock. Quickly Kim pushed herself above the water, coughing lightly as she pulled herself out of the water. Looking around, she felt her blood freeze in her veins as she spotted Tommy lying on the ground. He looked unconscious, and there was a trail of red building above his left brow. Kim held her breath as she hurried to his side, ignoring the discomfort of drenched clothing.

"Tommy, can you hear me?" She asked, taking on of his hands as she sat next to him and moved his face so she could see the damage. His head had been scraped from the impact with the rock above his left eye brow. But before Kim could begin to bandage it, she watched in disbelief at the broken skin pulled back together. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Kim might not have believed it. It had to be a because of the gem. Kim sighed; she would have no say in this. Without warning, she'd been pulled back into the life she'd been trying her best to escape for the last eight years.

"Run!" Kim jumped at the second voice, looking up, she watched Vera run through a section of bushes. But Kim was frozen in her place. How many times would she take Tommy for granted before she admitted her feelings and shared the truth with him? She looked back to Tommy, glad to see his color returning. A flash of light occurred and Vera stopped. Four cyborgs stood in between Vera and the two former rangers.

"Vera, I wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you again, but it really isn't. I want those gems, and I'm going to do whatever's needed to get them…" The tallest of the cyborg Klyptoids glanced back to where Kim knelt by Tommy and frowned.

"It has never been a pleasure seeing you either Sinestro. I would advise you to leave immediately, but I know you won't listen. But you cannot have the gems… they are beyond even my grasp." Vera spoke in her wise way, but she had a steel gaze turned to the half robot/half man before her. Sinestro laughed and shook his head, a red gaze falling on the escaped princess.

"We shall see if I have a longer arm than you. My borgs will have fun destroying this planet… Kill them all." Sinestro said with a sneer as he disappeared in a flash on light. With the order form their commander, the other cyborgs began to move. For robots, they were quick and limber. Two went after Vera, while one made it's way toward Kim. With Tommy out, there wasn't much Kim could do to escape. She couldn't just leave Tommy alone to fend for himself either… not after all the times he'd been there for her. The cyborgs eyed her oddly and then glared at her as he lifted a weapon Kim wasn't familiar with.

"Run!" Vera shouted, releasing a bolt of energy from her palm at the two cyborgs before she made her way to the third. But he had already begun swinging the weapon. A red glow turned on the end of the lengthy post, revealing an invisible blade. Kim looked frantic for a minute and then pushed Tommy as far as she could before the weapon struck.

"NO!" Vera's shout was mixed with a pain filled scream from Kimberly as petite female's form crumpled to the ground.

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(Alright, so I wasn't sure where I had originally planned to take this chapter, but I'm enjoying what I've managed to piece together. Hope it's up to par! Also, life is getting hectic with reality. I've got a job at a little restaurant, and have applied at two super stores. Surprisingly, both super stores have called for interviews. So yeah, life is grabbing me by the tail and pulling hard! But I will spend all my spare time on my stories; I owe it to you all!

~Z.L.)


	18. Twenty Questions

**Zaley Love: **I do apologize for my absences, but I must inform my faithful readers that it will continue to be like this. I've recently acquired a job, which is an amazing blessing! But it does cut into my writing time. I assure you that I will be writing as often as I can, which has turned out to be quite a bit; despite my busy schedule. This is well over-due, but it's finally up! I hope you all enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I do own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_The Park…_

Kim's scream caused Tommy's eyes to flash open. He knew that scream; it caused a familiar panic to seize him as he quickly sat up and looked about for her. Not five feet away from him, Kim was lying on the ground in a limp heap. Seeing her like that caused something inside the man to snap. Jumping to his feet, Tommy's gaze turned toward the cyborg. He stood over Kimberly with an eerie smile etched onto his face, readying his weapon for the final blow. Without warning, Tommy moved with inhuman speed and charged the beast.

"Be careful, the edge of his weapon is powered by a gem they stole from the mines. It's not very powerful without time to charge, but it is painful." Vera called out to Tommy as she went to Kimberly's side. The girl didn't look to be breathing, but Vera knew she was still alive. If Kim didn't possess a gem, that blow might have claimed her life. Tommy managed to kick the weapon away from his opponent, and began to hit him with all the force he could muster. And, just like the other night; Tommy began to hit without feeling any pain from the contact. Before he knew it, his fist had plunged into the cyborg's chest.

"Despite their attempts to be different form humans, they cannot take a blow through the chest. Their main wire frame is there. Without it; they fall apart." Vera spoke softly, watching as Tommy approached. He didn't look to happy, but his gaze was not on Vera; it was on Kim.

"Where are the others?" Tommy asked, stooping down to take Kim in his arms. Vera frowned, knowing she had left the others without much of a warning.

"The others are in the parking lot, no doubt facing some of these monsters as well." She said; standing and brushing the dirt from her pants. Kim shivered, causing Tommy to breathe a sigh of relief. If she was cold, it meant she was feeling _something_… she wasn't beyond reach.

"Let's go, they might need some help." Tommy said, looking around to be sure they didn't have any more cyborgs to take care of out here. Seeming satisfied that they were alone; he led the way to the parking lot.

_Outside Ernie's…_

"They're too strong; I don't know what to do." Gwen said through labored breathing as she helped Kat up. Edmund seemed to be faring better with the cyborgs than she and Kat, Charlie looked alright too, but Jason; he wasn't doing so well. Kat already had a bruise showing on her leg, slightly limping toward a tree for support.

"Try to get some help from that gem of yours." Kat advised, leaning against a tree and shaking her head. It had been a long time since she had been in any of this action. Jason was holding up better than she, but not by much. Gwen looked at the metal bot approaching her and took a deep breath. Even though she was frightened, you could tell she wasn't giving up just yet.

"Wait!" A strong voice called out, causing everyone-even the bots- to look around. Coming from the park, Vera ran toward the fight. On seeing her, two cyborgs turned away from the others. She was obviously the one they were after. Gwen took this moment of hesitation to recollect her thoughts. She could feel her gem trying to tell her something, but she couldn't be absolutely sure of just what. The cyborg seized this moment for a quick silent attack on the girl. Without a word, the borg struck Gwen's torso, sending her to the ground several feet away.

"Gwen, _move_!" Kat urged the girl in a concerned voice, but she seemed to be short of breath and taking more time than usual to regain her footing. The borg gave her no time for retaliation. In one swift movement he lifted a weapon and fired a shot at her... but the shot never hit her. Kat watched in stunned silence as the bolt of light headed for Gwen, than seemed to be redirected at the last moment to hit a car in the parking lot. Gwen looked equally stunned. But when another bolt was shot, her attention was quickly captured. Just before hitting her, the bolt was sent into the sky. Something strange was going on here.

"I'm coming Gwen." Vera called out with a smile. She recognized the talent Gwen was acquiring. Many on her planet learned to bend matter, or move objects by thought. It was comforting to see someone else using the technique again. With a flip of her wrist, Vera shot off two energy bolts at the borgs closest to her. They fell; their circuit boards fried. Charlie and Edmund watched her with odd expressions, obviously curious if they would eventually be doing that. In front of her, Gwen began to stand, obviously grasping onto the concept that _she_ was the one protecting herself. Behind her, Jason dodged a hit from a borg and backed away. She wasn't going to take his cyborg on; she didn't want to steal that pleasure from Tommy, who'd just arrived on the scene.

"Jason, it's time for a tap out. You take Kim; I'll take on this thing." Tommy said, approaching Jason with a serious face. Jason didn't argue, though he wondered what had happened to Kim. Seeing her unconscious caused a knot to build in his gut. She was like a little sister to him, seeing her hurt only served to upset him. Jason took Kim in his arms, and then moved toward his truck. She needed to be kept away from the fight, especially since she was already hurt. He gently placed the petite female across the front seat. She stirred momentarily, but didn't wake. Jason stayed at the truck, but turned to watch the outcome of the fights. Vera was already sending a beam of energy toward the cyborg that kept firing at Gwen. As soon as the borg was taken out, Edmund and Vera helped up Gwen, after ensuring that she was alright; Edmund went to help Kat to the vehicle. Charlie was already at the truck, after having seen Kim being placed inside.

"Is she alright?" The concern in his voice surprised him as well as Jason. Who was she to him but some girl he'd had a few laughs with? Plenty more where she came from, right? Charlie cleared his throat, and then watched as Jason's gaze drifted toward Kat. You could tell every nerve in his body scream at him to help her. Even a heartless-or so he liked to think- jerk like Charlie could see that.

"Go, I'll stay here with Kim. You go get Kat… it's where you belong." Charlie said with a nod, finding it odd that he would even make the suggestion. Jason eyed him curiously, but didn't waste another moment before running to Kat. Even if they weren't too fond of Charlie, or too keen on trusting him, he couldn't refuse the offer when it meant getting to Kat sooner. Charlie watched him go, and then took a moment to glance at Kim. She looked as if she were simply sleeping, which he hoped she was. Inside him; there was something reassuring him that she was fine. Intuition… or the gem? He would have to learn the difference. Her breathing picked up, but other than that, she didn't change. Charlie gave a light sigh, and turned his attention to the ensuing battle between Tommy and the last standing cyborg.

"Aiya!" Tommy's voice echoed through the parking lot as he delivered a perfect roundhouse kick to his opponent, sending the cyborg crashing into a tree twenty yards away. It was over for now, but Tommy had an uneasy feeling telling him things had only just begun.

"Well done. For you first time facing the Klyptoids; you all did very well." Vera said with a simple tone as she looked at the three before her. Charlie was at the truck with Kim, her words were meant for them all; but three would do.

"What were those things?" Gwen questioned lightly. Vera turned to the youngest member in the group and offered a sad smile. There was so much she wanted to tell them… needed to tell them. And yet; she couldn't. It wasn't time. They needed to get information slowly, not all at once.

"I have a better question." Tommy stated coldly as he turned back to the group. Kim had apparently started to come around and Charlie was being very attentive toward her. She didn't need him. His tone betrayed his demeanor; he was furious. But he didn't want that known to everyone. Vera met his gaze and felt saddened; why was he so quick to push away his feelings and ignore all the signs? Why was it so hard for humans to recognize love where it was? Or better yet; where it wasn't?

"What _aren't_ you telling us?" His question was out, his tone very near defiant. Why did she insist on keeping them in the dark? What was it with females and secrets? He was tired of these minds games, he got enough of them when interacting with Kim; he didn't need any more than that.

"There is much I keep from you all, but you must believe me; it is for the better. You will understand when the time comes. I do not ask you to submit, but I do ask that you trust me one this one; you are better off not knowing." Vera spoke in a slow, practiced tone. Back home, she was a very good public and political speaker. She didn't manipulate people, but she did know how to talk to them. Behind them, Kim and Charlie approached. Charlie was playing the part of a worried friend. It suited him, but it didn't sit well with the others. Tommy scowled and headed toward his jeep without another word.

"Well, if you're feeling fine; why not?" He asked, the others looking to Kim with a curious glance. Kim's face changed to a light shade of pink at the attention, but she was smiling. She ignored Tommy's scowl and cleared her throat, looking at Charlie with a shrug.

"Alright, it sounds like a plan." Kim responded with a smile, avoiding Jason's stare. She was an adult; she was allowed to have friends. So, why not hang out with someone who actually wanted to be around her? It was more than any of her old 'friends' had offered since she awoke at the hospital. Besides, Charlie was a very good distraction for her right now.

"What's a '_plan'_?" Jason asked, stepping into his protective older brother role. He ignored the glare Kat shot at him, though he couldn't refrain from coughing when she elbowed him. Charlie cocked a brow, but didn't bother questioning.

"We're going to grab a bite to eat and maybe catch a movie." Charlie explained, running a hand through his hair as he watched Tommy's jeep zoom off down the road. Giving a shrug, he turned back to the group.

"What about you guys?" He inquired. It was obvious Charlie wasn't inviting anyone else, but in a subtle way. Jason didn't like it one bit, as he knew Tommy wouldn't as well. But Kat; she was all for it.

"We're just going to head back to Jason's and see if Billy has found out anything else. You two be sure to have fun though." Kat said with a smile. Not only that, but she knew they could all use a shower and some relaxing at the house. Why couldn't Kim have a little fun with a new friend? Kim needed a distraction anyway, and Kat needed Tommy to explain a few things.

"Sounds good, hope you have fun. We're going to walk, since I don't exactly have a vehicle anymore and I'm _so_ up for just taking my time going through town." Kim said with a smile; only half of her mind focusing on the people around her. The other half had followed after Mr. Oliver. She would push him from her mind as best as she could throughout the evening, just as she'd grown accustomed to over the years.

"Alright, we're gonna head out now, don't be out too late though; I'm planning on an early morning for the girls." Kat offered with a nod, pushing on Jason to head toward the truck. Kim just laughed in response as she started walking, Charlie matching her pace and already striking up a conversation. Jason frowned, but remained silent; the last thing he needed was to frustrate Kim or Kat by being overprotective. But that didn't mean he was happy with the situation. Especially when he would be the one to explain their absence to Tommy. Oh joy.

_In town…_

"No way, I'm so not answering that!" Kim laughed shaking her head as she shoved Charlie's shoulder. He exaggerated the strength of her gesture and knocked into a trash can. While they both erupted with laughter, people around them stared. It was obvious they wondered if the two were drunk, high or just insane. Kim helped Charlie up, and then watched as he fixed the trash can. They continued walking, but still laughing quietly amongst themselves.

"Come on, it's a simple question. Besides, you said no questions were off topic." Charlie retorted with a grin, playfully poking her arm. From the looks of it, one might think the two have been friends forever, and not merely a few days. Kim processed his statement for a moment and sighed.

"Once… during college a friend convinced me to sneak out for a party. I was the designated driver. We went with two people in the car, and left with three more passengers. I didn't exactly keep away from the drinks, so I was a little tipsy. We decided to drive along the scenic route, and I ran over a stop sign before side sweeping a police car. We spent that night in jail. Happy?" Kim shared with a shake of her head. That memory was one buried along with all her other college escapades. Not that she went wild, but she didn't just sit around doing nothing. For a while she went through a depressive phase. That was one she wouldn't mind forgetting.

"I never would have thought that. Alright, so have you ever done something completely unlike you? Something that may have caused your friends to think you were crazy?" He prodded, stopping to open the door to a bar in the 'lower' class of down town. This was Charlie's area, somewhere that Kim had never ventured to. They took a seat at a back table, Charlie waited for her response. They were playing something similar to twenty questions. Though Charlie was the only one asking questions.

"Oh wow. Well, there was a time right before I started college. I'd been through a really difficult time in life, and developed some self-destructive habits. After Jason heard, he practically lived in my flat for three months. He wouldn't let me out of his sight. But let me tell you, there were times when I screamed at him and blew up, and he still didn't give up on me. He didn't leave when everyone else _did_. Jason's the closest thing I've got for a brother, and he'd never let me down." Kim spoke with such honesty that it surprised Charlie. Why would someone like her ever be self-destructive? She seemed happy, though a little cautious at time. But despite all his wondering, there was still a bigger question in his mind. Where did Tommy fit in to her past?

"What about Tommy; where does he fit into the picture?" Charlie found himself asking before he could stop. But he really did want to know, and why shouldn't he? If he was going to be getting closer to her, shouldn't he know about people who seemed to have some history with her? Plus, he didn't relish the thought of getting beaten to a pulp by Tommy again, so he would have liked to know what exactly was between the two. Kim's face registered instant surprise at the question, but she shrugged and bit on her bottom lip.

"Well, for time's sake I'll give him a very simple label; my first boyfriend. There's a lot more to the story, but I really don't want to get into this right now; maybe some other time." Kim's tone had grown relatively softer. There was definitely more to this story, but Charlie decided not to be a jerk and push for answers. What was this girl doing to him? It was as if she had revealed a sweeter side to him. But as of right now, Charlie wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

"Well, why don't we order something to eat? I'm about out of questions." Charlie suggested with a half-smile, picking up a menu and glancing through the different meals. This was something new for him. Usually when he went out with a girl, they skipped a meal and went straight to the movies. Once at the movies, they sat in the back and fooled around. That was the typical pattern his 'dates' often followed. And honestly, he was surprised at how he enjoyed the change. He never knew how much fun he could have simply talking to someone. Perhaps it was just Kimberly, or maybe he just never tried to enjoy the other person's personality before. Kimberly said something, but he was lost in thought and didn't pay attention. Simply nodding, he continued to glance at the menu. That is; until a hand snatched it away. Glancing up sharply, he grimaced. Kim looked confused, behind her stood Vince and two of his thugs.

"Having a nice little meal, are we?" Vince taunted in a mock innocent voice. His gaze lingered on Kim with a lifted brow. Charlie resisted the urge to deck the man. Kim gave her hair a toss as she turned to look at Charlie with a questioning gaze. In response, Charlie simply stood and grabbed a hold of Kim's hand in a slightly rough manner.

"Actually, we were just leaving. Come on Kim." Charlie said in a commanding tone, gently pulling on Kim's arm until she stood. Without a word, he pulled her out of the diner. This wasn't good. They were on Vince's turf, and he didn't need the guy trying to use Kim as leverage. She didn't need to be involved in this at all. Kim was speaking again, but he was trying to sort out his thoughts. Charlie kept walking, nearly dragging Kim in pace behind him. Her arm was pulling from his grip once, but he didn't turn. A few more tugs, but nothing. Then… she screamed.

"Charlie!" Her arm was yanked from his grip just as something connected with the back of his head. Dazed for a moment, Charlie simply blinked to clear his vision. Kim was struggling against two men before they met her face with a cloth. Something had obviously been applied to the fabric, seconds later she went limp. Vince tapped Charlie's back with his foot, chuckling.

"Nice try. We'll keep a tight hold on this one until you can pull off a few jobs properly. And just to be sure you don't get any funny ideas, I'm warning you; if you don't show at the warehouse… let's just say I hope she can breathe under water." Vince's voice was low and serious. He had never been this frustrated with Charlie over blowing a job. It didn't make sense, it was just a simple bag and tag, why would he be this upset? Unless…. Before he could finish the thought, another blow met the back of his head. He was out cold.

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(YAY! Hope all my faithful readers enjoyed this installment! Just a quick update, I will not be working on another story; just this one. Due to conflicting work schedules, I don't have enough time to write much. So I'll be devoting my free time to this story. Thanks for the support, and reviews! Keep them coming, it's very encouraging and immensely appreciated.

~Z.L.)


	19. Finding Ruby

**Zaley Love:** I'm sure you all are tired of me apologizing for my late updates and everything, but it really was not my fault this time. FanFiction would NOT let me get to the edit page at all. It all started on the 21st, and I've had to cope with it. Not much fun in that! What's the point of getting a bunch of work done if I can't edit it or add it in? –sigh- let's hope this doesn't become a habit of theirs.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

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**Angel Grove, CA**

_At Jason's house…_

Billy sat staring at his computer screen with a frown. Something was wrong. He looked out the back window to see four figures outside. Jason, Kat, Edmund and Gwen were caught up in what looked to be a lively and interesting conversation. Tommy had gone for a walk in the woods when he arrived, which was several minutes before the others. Vera was at work with some print-outs, something Billy was grateful for. Despite her assurances of having never worked with computers, she was a natural. He appreciated the assistance, as well as the time it offered him to rest his mind. And despite the lack of trouble, he couldn't brush off the feeling seeping into his bones. Glancing at his watch he frowned. Surely Kim and Charlie would have been back by now. It was a little after nine, also causing him to question's Tommy's safety. Hearing the others coming in he stood, looking to Jason with a concerned gaze.

"Can we talk?" He was about to ask, when the front door swung open to reveal Tommy and a rather beat up Charlie. Jason looked frustrated for a moment, jaw moving in an attempt to speak; but he froze. When Kimberly didn't follow the two in, Billy shook his head. Of course something bad happened, why he didn't connect that earlier was beyond him.

"I saw him collapse in the driveway, but I didn't do this." Tommy spoke in a low tone, setting Charlie onto the couch and looking at Vera as she moved to inspect the man. Only she would be able to tell if the attack was from their new alien enemies, or something else entirely.

"The wounds aren't deep, but I think he has been drugged. His body is dividing efforts to heal the wounds and rid his system of the drug. But this was done by a human, Klyptoids would have kept him." Vera said in a soft tone, checking his pulse and pressing on several different pressure points. Charlie stirred, bringing them some relief. But even that was short lived as Jason finally spoke of everyone's silent wonderment.

"Where's Kim?" His voice was steady, but edged with a concern that had become normal over the last week. All eyes turned to Tommy, the only person aside from Charlie who might be able to offer something. With all eyes on him, Tommy shook his head as he looked to the wounded man who had only recently been thrown into their lives. For someone so new to their circle, he seemed to be causing an alarming amount of trouble. Especially when it came to Tommy or Kim, he seemed to possess a knack for upsetting the balance in their lives.

"She wasn't with him. He was staggering up the road alone, but it looked like there might have been a car following him." Tommy said, trying to seem more concerned than frustrated. If this man would just leave Kim alone they might be able to work through whatever she's using to keep them apart. But Tommy couldn't blame everything on the new comer. He saw the look in her eyes, and it wasn't because of Charlie. It was because of him. She was afraid of him… knowing that hurt him more than anything. Lost in his thoughts, Tommy was oblivious to the conversations going on around him. But when Charlie suddenly gasped and sat up, every eye was trained on him. Without even waiting to be questioned, Charlie stood and caught a hold of Tommy's arm.

"K-Kim was ta-taken." He spoke through labored breathing, falling back down against the couch in exhaustion.

_An abandoned factory, just outside of Angel Grove…_

Kim's eyes flashed open as she hit the ground. She was instantly made alert, becoming aware of a few things as she tried to move. She'd just fallen off an old musty couch, her hands were tied behind her, and the sides of her lips were becoming raw from whatever material they had used for a gag. Lovely. From what she could tell, she was alone in an old building. Though she tried to find something inside that looked familiar, Kimberly had not been in this building at all to her knowledge. Well, not until this day… or rather; night. If it weren't for the gag in her mouth, she might have sighed. Why was it she always ended up being the damsel in distress? Even after all these years, she was still the one people took. Was it because she was small, or did she really look like the weakling of the bunch?

"Vince, what makes you think Charlie will risk his neck for the dame? He's more of the 'use and lose' type." A gruff voice spoke from beyond a door. In response the man Kim assumed was Vince laughed. She concentrated hard on listening, wanting to know what they would say about her new acquaintance.

"Charlie's a hard one to crack, but I'm willing to risk this girl to get him. The fact that he tried to leave the diner makes me think he doesn't want her knowing about his connections. Either that, or he's been trying to appeal as a nice guy to get close to her… wouldn't be the first time either." The men continued to exchange more rude remarks that made Kim feel sick. She was suddenly glad that nothing was in her stomach. Was Charlie like them? A wannabe mobster in a small town; was that him?

"Go check on the girl, we don't want to find that she's gone missing before her swimming date tonight." Vince spoke quickly, the sound of feet moving outside the door almost immediate. The door slid inward after a slight pause to find the key, a man looked around the room, then to Kim. Upon seeing her, he shook his head and left the room with a smirk. Obviously something had amused him about her predicament.

"She's still tied and gagged, but has fallen off the couch. Looks pretty confused, but isn't asking any questions." His attempt at witticism was rewarded with Vince's deep booming laugh. Kim didn't need to hear their conversations to know that these men weren't the average crooks. There was something more at work here.

"_Must you struggle so?" _Kimberly would have screamed if not for the gag. Where had that voice come from? When none of the men seemed fazed, it suddenly hit her. The gem. Didn't Vera say something about them being able to communicate? Apparently it was tired of her struggling… but against what?

"_Me. Don't fight me dear girl, I'm the reason why you survived the crash, granted I caused the crash in the first place; but that is beside the point. Trust me to guide you through this one." _The voice was a passing thought in her mind. She could hear it, but she knew it was something she was being prompted to think. But even as she began to doubt, she could feel something deep in her chest… something that she had no control over. Of course her first reaction was to fight it, to block out whatever was trying to happen. As she threw up the protective barriers, she could feel the gem withdrawing. Not completely, but enough to let her know they would work at her own pace.

"_You know I can draw your friends here, why don't you let them come for us." _Kim was baffled for a moment, but then she remembered. She could get the others to find her; she just had to _want _to be found. Kimberly thought a quick thank-you to the helpful voice, not sure of what to think of it. Was it simply a voice, a person or what? Vera did say something about the mines growing by absorbing the life of dying people, but what did that make the gems? Pushing these thoughts aside for later, Kim let out a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes; willing her friends to find her.

_Back at Jason's house…_

Tommy tuned the world out as he felt the all too familiar feelings of worry an anxiety that came with news of Kim being in trouble. What was that saying; old habits die hard? Well he completely agreed. No matter how much time passed, or how many walls Kim built between them, when push came to shove; he couldn't help but care. More than care. For the last hour Jason and Vera were working over Charlie, with input from Billy every now and then. Kat had taken Gwen and Edmund downstairs to be out of the way. Everyone felt in the way when they couldn't be of help. And Tommy... he'd become a statue in the room at the news of Kim. Years ago his first reaction was very much the same. But now, he wanted to act, but he didn't know where to start without information from Charlie.

"Look, he's coming around." Jason spoke quickly, moving next to Vera, giving Charlie room to breathe. He looked relatively fine, but tired. His eyes slowly searched the room for one person, and Tommy was surprised when they stopped on him. Charlie's expression turned to one of genuine sorrow.

"I didn't th-think…. Think they would c-come." He spoke, doing his best to manage through labored breaths. Tommy stirred, looking at the man with a serious expression, but not lacking in sympathy for him. It was his fault; but hadn't they all been at fault one point in time when it came to hurting someone else? Particularly Kim?

"Who took her Charlie?" He forced himself to speak, though his tongue felt like lead. He needed answers before he could act. Charlie looked to be in pain, but he continued for them.

"Vince, a low life mobster i-in the lower parts of town." Charlie's pace was slowing; they would only get a few more answers out of him before he passed out again

"Where? Do you know where he is exactly?" Tommy urged, hoping he could offer something more.

"Vince… said she…. does she… swim… doesn't make…. sense." With his last mumblings, Charlie slipping into a state of unconsciousness. Tommy was becoming desperate; what did he mean? Of course it didn't make sense. He looked at Charlie, but instead of feeling angry; he found himself actually pitying the man. He was new to this life, being in a group with caring friends. Perhaps even his first experience with actual friends. Didn't he deserve a chance to be accepted? Just because he showed up at the door with Kim didn't give Tommy the right to hate him. Sure it was obvious that the guy liked her; but what guy in his right mind wouldn't? Wasn't Tommy right there too? No. Charlie deserved a chance to be accepted into the group, despite the annoyance caused by his affiliation with Kim. He sighed, turning to look at Billy and then frowned.

"What are you laughing about?" Tommy questioned, doing his best to reign in his anger. Over at his computer Billy had perked up, smiling and even letting out a light laugh. One that usually could be released upon finding out some information that offered some relief. Wait, was it something about Kim? Before waiting on an answer, Tommy walked over to the computer and glanced at the screen. Frowning when all he saw was the familiar looking map of Angel Grove, a crimson dot flashing on the map. What did this random person have to do with…

"Are you alright?" Billy asked as Tommy staggered back, letting his mind wrap around the idea he'd just encountered. Of course! Kim was the fifth person. What else could explain her wreck, or the fact that there was broken glass from her windshield on the road _before _the tree she clipped? It was all beginning to make sense, and he was suddenly annoyed that it hadn't occurred to him before. Especially after Vera brought forth that list with information on the gems, of course she matched up with the Ruby traits._Love, Success, Integrity, Passion, Promise – Someone Intense; _that was all Kim.

"How long have you known?" Tommy asked, looking between Billy and Vera. It was obvious Vera would have known, but what about Billy. Had he simply been paying attention to details that Tommy seemed to let slip by? By now Jason had come to see the screen, already beginning to make the same connections as Tommy.

"You can't be serious. It's the last thing Kim would want; she's been trying to escape even the memories of those days." Jason finished before thinking, noticing how Tommy tried to mask the registered hurt on his face at his friend's statement. As if he needed to be reminded of how she was trying to keep away from him. Vera spares them both from having to speak.

"I have known from the moment I met you two in the woods. I am drawn to the gems by my own. But Billy learned the day she returned from the hospital, after the trace from the gem disappeared from the map. Kim didn't tell anyone because she wanted to figure out exactly what she was going to do. I believe she was hoping to have the gem taken from her, but must now learn to live with it. Please Tommy, don't let yourself believe she was just trying to keep something from you. There are many troubles in the heart of the crane, keeping her grounded. She does not wish to ground her falcon as well." Vera's calm voice commanded attention, every eye steading on her. Tommy winced at her last two comments. How did she know about their animal spirits? But the bigger questions that demanded his attention, was how did she seem to know Kim so well? Was the wall between them becoming indestructible? How could he save her, if she kept shutting him out?

"Tommy." Vera said softly, approaching him and stopping when she was six inches away from him. She gently placed her hand upon his shoulder and met his gaze.

"Your crane has been grounded for so long; she has forgotten the joy brought by flying with her mate, and replaced it with the fear of falling." It's all Tommy can do to sit still and not take off on his own to save her. How is it Vera knows exactly what to say? For an exiled alien princess, she seemed to know exactly what was going on in his heart. After years of trying to give into the fact that Kim was lost to him forever, he was finally realizing his need to hold on to her. Not for her, but for him. Without Kim, he didn't have a reason to fight.

"S-she needs you n-ow more than ever Tommy." A voiced came from the couch. Or so Tommy thought. But upon turning around, Charlie was now standing at the counter. He appeared to be regaining his color, but it was clear that the drug was still in his system. It was at this moment that Tommy decided that they were allies, sharing one goal; Kim's safe return to them all. As Charlie began to stumble for support, Tommy caught his arm and offered a hand.

"I'm not promising that this means we're never going to get at odds or want to pound the other; but I am promising that you'll get Kim back safely." Charlie voiced through labored breathing as he gripped Tommy's hand with a nod. His comment causing Tommy to smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He said, a half smile attempting to break his features. As they ready for the trip, Tommy begins to dwell on what Charlie said. He didn't say _we'll _get Kim back safely, he said _you'll_. Part of him was beginning to feel a familiar hope; a spark with a good chance of setting fire. He would keep fighting for her, even if it took her years to open up. They would wait until tomorrow evening to go after her; so Charlie could be well rested. And of course there's the hope of them obtaining the element of surprise in the fleeting light of dusk. But being the worrisome friends that they are, and extremely cautious planners; they managed to stay up well past four o'clock. Tommy was the last one to relax in bed. If you could call tossing and turning with nightmares of losing Kimberly forever; 'relaxing'. It was not wonder why they allowed Tommy to sleep well past noon.

"I thought you were going to wake us up at eight." Tommy grunted to Jason, looking at the clock that showed the hands resting on four and three; 4:15. Jason rolled his eyes, but didn't reply; it was Billy who spoke up.

"Well I was actually going to wake him up; but you were supposed to wake me up. So really; you're your fault." He offered with a grin and began to play-fight with Tommy until the two were causing such a ruckus Kat told them to clear out or starve. Faced with such an ultimatum; is it really such a surprise that the two become civilized once again?

"You all better be careful; I'll call in backup if you give me any reason to worry." Kat said with a forced smile, trying to keep calm. It was becoming a habit now; especially since the fight yesterday. But she knew if they gave her reason to; she'd call in Adam, Rocky and Zack. Aisha might come, though she'd high-tail it out of there as soon as she heard Kim was around. Despite all her tries at changing Aisha's mind, Kat just couldn't convince her –without being completely honest- that Kim wasn't at fault. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear Jason's reply. So, he scooped her up into a hug and pecked her cheek softly.

"Don't worry, with the way those two seem to be programmed to protect Kim; we should be back before morning." Jason whispered in her ear, then kissing it softly with a smile. Kat giggled, then released him at the urging of Tommy. He was really getting anxious. So, off they went into the fading light of dusk.

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(I am terribly sorry for taking so long. But work has picked up a bunch and I have been too exhausted to write. I will be making more of an effort, especially because the last thing I want to do is make you all lose interest. Hopefully I will be able to focus more on things now that I have a basic idea of what I'm planning. I do hope you enjoyed, and will be working hard to get the following chapter up.

~Z.L.)


	20. Beauty From Pain

**Zaley Love:** I know no one was expecting another chapter so soon; but I couldn't stop once I started and ended up finishing it before leaving for work! WHOOT! Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

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**Crystalline, deep in space**

"Sir, we lost quite a few in the fight. It will be another day before the new troops are ready." A cyborg reported to the figure before him. It was obvious that he was afraid of the cyborg, as he seemed to avert his gaze and trembled at the larger one stood. Standing was Sinestro; the self-appointed leader of the Klyptoids. He took in the cyborg, and then frowned. This would not due; he wanted those gems now.

"So, you're telling me that we can't get the gems because you never had the forethought to train some new troops _before _we started attacking?" His voice edged with annoyance, sounding deep and mechanical. Many of the other Klyptoid's knew there was no upsetting Sinestro without dire consequences. Before the frightened cyborg could respond, Sinestro fired a blast at him. Even if it wasn't a powerful one; it was shot with enough skill and practice to kill.

"Train the troops, up our creation capabilities and get me those gems. I will not settle for anything less." Sinestro spoke calmly, but with authority. He was the only Klyptoid to assume control and keep it for longer than a week. Under his leadership; they have actually conquered those who stood in their way. The remaining cyborgs bowed and left to accomplish what he ordered; leaving Sinestro alone in the throne room.

"Bring Tyro and Aiorth to me." Sinestro spoke into a device on his shoulder. Unlike most of the Klyptoids; Sinestro looked more human than cyborg. Where the others fought to look more mechanical, he actually remained looking much as he used to; minus the emotions and human logic. He was also the only Klyptoid with facial tattoos. Bald, like all of their people, Sinestro wanted to obviously stand out amongst his comrades. So, he kept one of his 'real' eyes, his 'real' face and acquired tribal tattoos along his cheeks and forehead. His one robotic eye was actually powered by the first gem the Klyptoids found, leading them to the planet Crystalline. A knock sounded at the door, Sinestro gave a wicked smile as he gave his consent for them to enter.

"My lord Sinestro, as you have requested, war prisoners Tyro and Aiorth." The lower ranking cyborg stated, shoving the two Crystallian men forward. Tyro fell to his knees at the jab, but was brought back up by Aiorth's steady hand. The two had been much altered since their initial capture. Their clothes had been dissolved to nothing but rags, their eyes looks hollow and tired. Aiorth had lost his left eyes in an attempt to fight back, now wearing a patch over the empty eye socket. Tyro's right hand was now machine, their attempt at getting him to speak. If the Klyptoids had not lost Vera, she would have been turned into the first female cyborg in an attempt to break the men. But she was now on Earth, safely out of their grasp. And despite their attempts to fool the men; they knew. They knew she was safe, so they refused to speak.

"I tire of these mind games you insist upon Tyro. So I'll give you a choice; tell me who to get these gems out of those sniveling Earthlings, and I'll release your planet." A lie, but it was always worth a shot to get him to speak. His gaze drifted to Aiorth, knowing exactly what the other option for Tyro would be.

"Or remain silent and be forced to watch Aiorth become a Klyptoid; devoid of emotions." Both Tyro and Aiorth exchanged glances, but remained silent. They had been urged by Vera not to reveal anything for her sake. And Aiorth would never allow his friend to reveal something to protect him. They were the warriors. Tyro wasn't like them. He was weaker and protective. But something inside told him even if he was honest with the cyborgs; they would still kill all the females and children, take the men and destroy the planet. They would take the men to create more of their Klyptoid soldiers. He knew that no matter what; Aiorth would likely be turned no matter what. He couldn't save his best friend.

"I only hope that Vera can forgive us." Aiorth spoke, sounding much stronger than either man felt. She would eventually come to understand why she lost Aiorth forever, but that didn't make it any easier. Sinestro glared at the two, tired of trying to get them to respond. He nodded to the cyborg at the door. Instantly, three cyborgs took ahold of Tyro, while some others grabbed Aiorth. He was going to hold to his word, and make Tyro watch his friend be transformed into a monster. Tyro struggled, as did Aiorth; but neither could prompt the borgs to knock them out. They would go through this alert; willing or unwillingly.

"Since we have a royal audience, why not make it public viewing in the prisons? Make sure every Crystallian is watching this, we will make an example of this one." Sinestro spoke in a cruel and bitter tone, causing Tyro to close his eyes. What was he doing? He couldn't save them, but why not him? Why must they torture all those around him; but leave him just shy of dying? The borgs jerked him about until he opened his eyes. Just to be sure he didn't close them again; they put him in restraints and retrieved a form of tape to keep his eyes open. Sinestro watched, getting some sick sort of pleasure out of seeing these people hurt.

"And do be sure to take you time on this one. Also, make him an elite Klyptoid. It's a much more painful surgery and it's longer." Sinestro told the surgeons, then stood against a wall and watched. For the Klyptoids; watching the surgery was an honor. They were proud of who they are and how they came to be. But the Crystallians were being forced to watch one of their own be cruelly mistreated and changed. It was torture, and it hadn't even started yet. But with Aiorth's first cry of pain, it seemed that all of the Crystallians were being cut to the core. Tyro fought to look away, but was forced to keep his eyes trained on his friend. Tears began to fall from his cheeks, seeing the pain his dearest friend would have to endure. But even with him on a table, his skin being slowly cut away; Aiorth met Tyro's gaze and seemed to say everything in one look; _never give up your secret Brother_.

"I won't." Tyro mumbled, just as the surgeon brought in a new form of torture. All of _Crystalline_ was silent; the only sound filling the night air were Aiorth's screams.

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's house…_

Kat made herself busy in the kitchen, trying to keep her mind from all the things that could happen to Jason. No, she needed to be focusing on the good; not the bad. They were going to rescue Kim and all come back safely; right? In the living room Edmund and Gwen played cards while Vera paced about looking tired; weren't they all? The two had tried to get her interested in a game of cards; but she said she wasn't familiar with the game and had much to think of. If Kat had to guess what she was thinking of; she would say her home. Not that Vera wasn't concerned about Kim, she seemed confident that the guys would get back with her safely. But her home planet; who knew what was happening there? Kat turned to the stove for a moment and jumped as a thump came from the living room followed by Gwen and Edmund jumping up. Vera lay in a heap on the floor.

"What happened?" Kat questioned a she helped them turn her over and check her pulse. Her heart beat had quickened, but it was still there. Vera looked to be in a dream-like state. Her eyes flashed open, horror registering on her face as she realized what had happened. She sat up, not meeting anyone's gaze as she pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face. Gwen and Edmund backed away, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by so many eyes on her at once. Billy and Kat sat next to her with concerned expressions. That's when they heard it; the first sob. Kat watched as the warrior princess before her changed. She was no longer looking confident and strong. She looked broken and lost. What happened?

"Vera, what's wrong?" Kat asked soothingly, gently rubbing a hand on her back as a good friend might. She simply responded with a hiccupping sob and began to rock herself back and forth. Billy and Kat exchanged bewildered looks before he went back to the computer and picked up his phone. He was going to call the guys no doubt; inform them of Vera's sudden break down. Kat felt helpless, no knowing what to say or do. So, she pulled Vera close and hugged her tightly. Vera didn't respond at first, but then released herself and accepted Kat's embrace. The woman wasn't simply sobbing; she was crying hysterically.

"Shh, just let it all out." Kat said softly, doing her best to console her new friend. Whatever Vera saw or felt… it was hurting her deeply. She looked up to see Billy walking out the back door, probably not wanting to alarm the guys with her crying.

"I don't know what's wrong; but apparently Vera has sensed something from Crystalline that has greatly disturbed her. She isn't speaking, and we don't know what to do. I guess I just wanted to let you all know what was happening, and to ask you to come back as soon as possible with Kim..." Kat caught him speaking before he walked away from the door, obviously going into more details of her coordinates and such. She just held onto Vera, not caring if she was getting drenched in the woman's tears, or that the water was boiling on the stove. Right now; she only cared about trying to help Vera.

_If only Kim were here. _Kat told herself lightly. Kim had such a way with Vera; they seemed to becoming great friends. And that's what Vera needed right now; a friend.

_The abandoned warehouse…_

Kim struggled against the rope on her wrists, wincing at the pain. She knew she'd heal right up, but that didn't make the pain more bearable. After several hours of struggling against the ropes; they were finally beginning to give. She was hopeful the others would arrive soon enough, being informed by her gem that they were getting closer. But that didn't ease her mind. That Vince guy was getting impatient, and kept announcing that they would be drowning her soon if they didn't hear anything from Charlie. Each time he spoke, Kim worked harder on trying to get free. She could feel that the ropes were getting ready to give; when a foot promptly connected with her stomach.

"I think we should drown her now; she's trying to escape. Doesn't seem to mind that she's digging the rope into her skin either; what do you think Vince?" A gruff voice spoke up as Kimberly's mind stopped reeling. Of course they would come _just _as she was getting ready to get out of the ropes. Typical. Vince stepped forward and scowled at Kimberly after taking in the sight of her wrists.

"She _is _a feisty one, no doubt that's why Charlie likes her. You got spunk kid; I'll give you that. But can you breathe under water?" Vince said in a voice that caused Kim to actually believe that they really would drown her. Without another word, one of the men hoisted up Kim on his shoulder and followed Vince out of the room.

_Where are they? _Kim wondered, feeling panic seeping into her bones as they continued walking, fear building in her gut as she caught scent of the salty ocean water.

_They're here, don't worry dear one. I won't leave you through any of this. _The voice of her gem, encouraging and caring; spoke up. How is it that simply hearing the gem, and knowing that it hadn't abandoned her; brought her instant relief? Just knowing that someone –or something- was with her through it all gave her a glimmer of hope that she dared to take hold of.

"Make sure you tie a weight on her feet; don't want her trying to swim back up now do we?" Vince said, patting Kim's cheek with a rough hand. She glared at him and knew in an instance that she would never let this man have the pleasure of seeing her die. If Rita, Zedd, and all the other villains she faced didn't get to see that; why would he? And okay, so the machine empire came close, but so had Rita and Zedd.

"Make sure it's good and tight." Vince said with a chuckle, glancing around as if hearing something behind him. That man made quick work of attacking the weights to Kim's ankles. Not just with chains, but with locks too. Lovely. He picked her up again, this time with minor difficulties as she seemed to be heavier due to the weights. He made his way down the dock, only to be met with such a blow to his back that he tripped, sending Kim rolling onto the dock. She stopped herself before going over an edge, and looked up to see Jason, Charlie and Tommy fighting off the thugs. Vince had obviously taken off at the first sign of trouble.

"Don't let her fall in." Tommy called out, sweeping his foot and knocking down the man he was fighting. They had come! Seeing them made the reality that much more true to her, she had hoped and thought they'd come; but seeing them made it all worth it. She began to struggle against the ropes again, be careful not to move enough to provoke the weights into falling.

"Get a hold of the weights, they'll pull her in." A gruff voice boomed, all the different men rushing to gain control of the weights first. A flash of pain showed in Kim's eyes at the weight began to shift, pulling her toward the edge. Her eyes quickly searched for the face she was looking for until she spotted him. Her gaze met with Tommy's as the weights began to pull her down off the dock. His eyes registered what was happening, and a look of panic flashed through his eyes. One moment she was there, her gaze so calm and yet frightened; and then she was gone. Not even a scream heard through the gag over her mouth.

"Kim!" Tommy called out, in a voice more filled with pain than worry. Without a moment of hesitation, he fought through the guys until he stood at the edge of the dock where Kim disappeared. The water rippled from where she crashed through its once calm surface. Without a second thought; Tommy dove in after her.

The water stung his eyes for a few minutes, but he kept pushing on until he caught sight of Kim struggling against the rope and weights. She pulled her hands free just as he reached her, both working on pulling off the chains. A pain in Tommy's chest alerted him of his need for air; one look at Kim told him the same thing. Panic flashed through her eyes as Tommy pulled of her gag and pulled her face to his. He covered her mouth with his and gave her the last of his breath before fighting up to the surface for a deeper breath. He had to get her up to the surface, out of the water; she'd already been through enough for the last week. When he reached her again, she looked to be struggling to keep functioning. Tommy grabbed a hold of the weights with one hand, and looped the other around Kim's petite frame. With all the strength he could muster; Tommy began to push up toward the surface. His efforts strengthened by the worry of losing Kim. When her head sank against his shoulder, he looked at the weights and pulled with all his might. He felt the feeling of energy buzzing through his limbs, and was rewarded with the feeling of metal pulling apart. Letting go of the chains, Tommy pulled Kim into his arms and pushed to the surface.

"Look, there they are!" Charlie called out, watching as Tommy's head appeared and disappeared a few times. Kim with him every time, but she didn't look conscious. Jason quickly jumped in, followed by Charlie; they made their way to Tommy and Kim and began to pull toward the shore.

"She's not breathing." Jason said, the terror in his voice evident upon his face. Tommy scooped her into his arms and pulled away from the shore line. As the other two followed, he began to administer CPR. She couldn't die on him. Not like this, not when he'd only _just _gotten her back. Tommy felt himself regretting all the fighting they had been doing in the past week, all the times he kept himself from just telling her straight out that he loved her; no matter what. With each breath he tried to think of all the ways he could apologize. All the things he should say to make her understand that she could do anything; and she would never be able to escape the love he has for her. With every breath, he felt that she was being taken from him.

"You can't die on me Kim, not like this!" Tommy pleaded, not caring if the others saw the tears beginning to rim his eyes as he tried again to revive her. Why wasn't her gem healing her? Why was she slipping out of his grasp? Tommy let his frustration fuel his efforts, pushing harder, breathing more; anything. He couldn't lose her like this. And just when everything seemed to be failing, Kim threw up. Tommy helped her sit up as she coughed out buckets of ocean water, rubbing her back attentively as she began to cough and breathe. Tommy didn't care how she reacted or what she said; he pulled her into his arms and didn't want to let go. Kim only struggled against him for a moment before melting in his embrace and crying. After a few minutes, exhausted with the events of the day; Kim managed to cry herself to sleep in Tommy's arms.

"Let's take her home." Jason said with a soft tone, helping Tommy stand up. But when he offered to help with Kim, Tommy refused. He'd only just gotten her back into his arms; he wasn't about to willingly let her go. If someone wanted to take Kim from him; they would have to kill him. The trio made their way back to Tommy's jeep, Jason taking the wheel and Charlie the front seat; leaving Tommy and Kim in the back. As they drove off, Vince chuckled from behind a vehicle. So, they really did care about this girl? Well he'd just have to get ahold of her again and use her for leverage against them. Who were these people anyways?

* * *

(Okay, I didn't think I would get this chapter done so soon; but I had an epiphany and was able to type it all up in one sitting! Totally psyched! I love how this one played out, and hope you all do too! Enjoy and please, please, please review!

~Z.L.)


	21. Only Your Love

**Zaley Love:** Okay, so I know the last chapter might have seemed a bit rushed… but I can't bear it when I leave a chapter with Kim in trouble! So I just had to have them rescue her. ^^ I hope this next installment is up to par, as well as expectations.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to people immensely more creative then myself... but I _do _own the 'Gem Force' idea, this plot and some characters.

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**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's house…_

When they had returned to Jason's house, the scene taking place was one they hadn't expected. Vera lay in a heap on the floor, her head cradled by a humming Gwen. Tommy had been so surprised he nearly dropped the woman in his arms.

"What happened?" Jason asked, looking around for Kat and Billy. They appeared coming in from the back porch, an odd contraption in Billy's hand. Kat instantly jumped into Jason's arms and held onto him tightly, tears springing to her eyes as her emotions quickly took over.

"It was terrible. We didn't know what to do, she just got hysterical and I couldn't do anything to help her." Kat said, letting Jason hug her tightly and try to ease her helplessness. Her eyes fell upon Kim and she briefly brightened, then she realized she was getting wet. Why was she getting….

"Jason, you're soaked! You _all _are what happened?" Kat said, breaking the embrace and wrinkling her nose. She wiped the tears from her face, taking in the four with a quizzical brow. But before anyone could answer they heard a whimper of pain from Vera. Everyone trained their eyes on the woman and fell quiet. Something had happened to upset her, and they wouldn't know until she came around.

"We can talk in the morning. Kim needs to be changed and kept warm, can you handle that? We're going to change and get rested up." Tommy said, now heading up the stairs as Kat followed. Though he was loath to part with her, Tommy set Kim on the bed and gave one last nod to Kat before heading downstairs.

"I think we could all use some rest after today's events, what do you think Tommy?" Jason said, quirking a brow as he turned to his best friend. Tommy shrugged.

"Yeah, we could." Tommy said, feigning a yawn. Everyone left Gwen and Vera in the living room, not wanting to disturb the sleeping woman. Gwen had a soothing touch that seemed to be helping Vera sleep peacefully. Kim had that touch as well. Shaking his head, Tommy followed the guys to the basement and pretended to sleep since it seemed he was going to battle insomnia tonight.

_Three hours later…_

Tommy sat on the porch steps in the backyard, looking at the woods. So many different things demanded his immediate attention; but all he could think about was Kim. Was he the reason why she was so hesitant to tell them about her gem? Was she afraid of being on a team with him again? Or did it have something to do with her mysterious disappearance and the letter. He winced. Even after all these years; thinking about the letter still hurt. Back then, he had it all planned out. He was going to fly down for the competition to surprise her, and then take her out to dinner and stay with her until she was ready to go home. After that, he was going to take her for a picnic at the lake and propose. Looking back at where they had been, and comparing it to where they were now… it made Tommy sigh. He wasn't going to push things with Kim. Not when it could end up pushing her farther away from him. And after tonight; he wasn't willing to risk losing her.

"Are you alright?" The voice was soft and gentle, almost fearful of disturbing him. Tommy didn't need to see her to know she was leaning against the door frame, face looking tired and slightly cautious; he just knew. Letting out a sigh, Tommy shook his head.

"I think the better question is are _you _alright?" Tommy retorted looking up as Kim walked over to the steps. He shrugged at her questioning gaze and scooted over, making room for her. Kim bit her bottom lip, and then eased herself down next to him. Her arm brushed past his, causing Tommy to slowly exhale. He had to keep reminding himself that she was safe now.

"I thought I lost you there for a while." Tommy said, pausing to brush a few stray pieces of fuzz from his pants. Looking over to Kim, he saw her brow knit in wonderment. He lifted his own brow for a moment, then quickly covered.

"I mean, _we _thought we lost you. You know, everyone and I." He said, watching with a pang in his chest as she simply nodded and turned her face away. Kim pretended to be concentrating on something in her hands. At first he didn't care to notice, but as his eyes searched for something to focus on; he took note of the bloom. It was an orchid. But not just any orchid, it was the cymbidium orchid and note that he sent to her while she was in the hospital.

"I never told anyone else that I loved orchids… I'm just surprised that you remembered." Kim spoke up after a moment, letting her gaze linger on Tommy for a few seconds before turning back to the items in her hand.

"Don't say things like that Kim, especially not to me." Tommy said, pushing himself up from the steps and turning to face her. He could feel his emotions building, but he wasn't going to explode at her this time.

"I didn't forget you just because you weren't around, and I couldn't forget anything that makes you smile." His tone was softer, trying to return to a tender friend's voice than come off as an outraged former lover. Kim met his gaze and fought off a half smile as she stood and shook her head.

"And I thought you had a bad memory." Kim's voice was only half serious, though she disguised the hurt from his comment behind amusement. Tommy gave a slight laugh, shaking his head as he offered out a hand to Kim. She looked at his hand for a moment, then took it. But instead of shaking his hand as he expected, Kim took ahold of his hand and began to pull him toward the woods. He wanted to ask where they were going, but he had a pretty good idea… and he didn't want to speak and ruin the silence. They walked in the quiet night for some time, hand in hand, until they reached the pond.

"I've missed you, and I'm not going to keep things from you if it means pushing you away. But it's not going to be easy to explain." Kim started, releasing his hand as she turned toward the water and gently lowered herself a few feet back from the edge. Tommy watched her, his own mind reeling. So she actually wanted him around?

"You don't have to explain everything all at once to me Kim, I'm not going anywhere. We can wait, you've been through a lot the last few days and you need some res-"

"I didn't write the letter." Kim interrupted him, her voice unreadable. For a moment Tommy was left beyond confused. After all the years of believing she had penned the very letter that had shattered every one of his dreams for their future, now she was telling him she _didn't_ write it.

"Kim, it was your h-"

"Hand writing, I know. But I didn't write the letter. I was forced to watch what it did to you, but it wasn't from me. But after everything I saw you go through, I couldn't just show up and tell you it was a lie… not when I knew you wouldn't believe me." Her words rang so clear in the woods, echoing slightly through the night. Tommy eyed her from behind, but decided this conversation needed to happen face to face. He sighed, sitting down next to her. Kim's eyes held a far off look, a look that hid everything but the fear lingering about. That's when he knew that she wasn't lying to him.

"What happened?" At this moment, Tommy felt years older. Every pain caused by the letter weighing on his mind, while he was trying to sever the connections of the pain with Kim. She said she didn't write the letter, but who did?

"It's a long story…"

"I'm not going anywhere Beautiful." Tommy spoke in a gentle, but reassuring tone. At the nickname Kim seemed to momentarily wince, and then relax. She turned to face him, knowing she was going to do her best to be honest and not hide anything.

"I got caught up training for a few weeks, and decided to spend some time alone walking through town in the evenings. Coach Schmidt had advised me to be taking some brakes from the beam, as he was afraid I was going to push myself too far. I didn't make many friends, due to how competitive everyone was, so I was often alone. During one of my walks, some robots or something appeared. There were six of them, gold heads and silvery outfits. I thought I had remembered hearing something about them from Aisha, but I never figured on them showing up in Florida. Fighting them off wasn't easy, they weren't anything like the putties I was used to fighting. But after taking two down, one landed a good blow to my head. When I woke up, someone called King Mondo was informing me that I was going to bring down the power rangers." Tommy's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment as he took in her words.

"Wait, how did they even know you were connected to us? I thought Zordon would know if something happened to you… that _I_ would know if something happened." Kim looked at him sadly, offering him a little comfort as she rested her hand on his.

"I don't know how they learned anything, but they knew about my friends and our relationship. But I don't think Zordon realized I was in trouble. I was only connected to the pink power coin for a short while after I gave it to Kat. As time passed, I could tell I wasn't connected anymore. At first I could feel whenever you were in pain, and still sometimes, after everything, when you've been really hurt I can feel it. But it wasn't the same. Somehow they _knew _exactly how to hurt me." Kim stopped, swallowing past the lump that was forming in her throat. If she stopped now she might not ever convince herself to finish.

"King Mondo began to notice how I struggled whenever you were hurt in battle, and he made the connection. Apparently he had someone listening in on you for a while, and learned that we weren't just friends. So, he sent some cogs to steal a letter that I wrote to you. He said something about needing a sample. I didn't know what for at first, but he soon began to gloat about his plan to destroy the power rangers by breaking their leader; you." Tommy froze for a moment, remembering briefly how he went through her letters when packing for college. He thought one was missing, but never got past wondering about it.

"They used my letter to mimic my hand writing and writing style so you wouldn't second guess it. And then you'd have no reason to doubt the authenticity of it and... you didn't." Kim's voice seemed etched with masked pain as she tried to keep from becoming too emotional. Tommy looked confused, then closed his eyes and swallowed as he understood what was bothering her. She thought he didn't really love her because he didn't doubt her feelings for this guy she'd never mentioned before.

"So, King Mondo created the letter, sent it, and made me watch what it did to you and the team. Jason learned of the letter through Billy, and decided to pay me a visit. When he talked to Coach Schmidt and learned that I hadn't been seen or heard from in over three weeks, he decided to go to Zordon. They couldn't find me. In fact, there was no trace of me anywhere from the scanner. Jason stayed quiet on the matter, not wanting to upset your newly formed relationship with Kat, and did research alone. When you and Kat split, she went to talk to Jason and Billy about possibly going to find me. The last anyone had heard was that I was dropped from the Pan Globals. So, Jason told her what he learned and they started doing some digging around. Their first big break came from a very unlikely source; Lord Zedd." Tommy practically jumped at her final comment.

"You're kidding; Zedd actually _helped _them find you? Zedd helped, and I didn't even get the chance to know?" Now Tommy seemed genuinely frustrated, but he let his anger simmer down. Kim wouldn't continue to be open with him if he bit at her. Kim stood, running her hands through her hair as she began to pace before continuing.

"Don't blame me, I didn't have a say in who knew what. But apparently Zedd and Rita wanted the Machine Empire over-thrown so they could take over once again. And they happened to know from watching their rival, that they held a former ranger captive. It was only a matter of when to try and bring it up to someone who could actually do something about it. You know, they might have helped with information, but they wouldn't be caught dead rescuing a former power ranger. Jason didn't want to trust him, but he didn't have many other leads and he had to be sure I wasn't there. So Zordon granted Kat and Jason's request, and they went to the Machine Empire posing as prisoners. It took them a few tries, but they eventually saw me. King Mondo was mocking and teasing, boasting about his triumph in destroying not just _a_ power ranger, but two." Kim's voice began to fade, her eyes growing distant. One look at her and Tommy could tell she was back in those horrid memories. But he was there this time, and he wasn't going to let her relive that. Standing, he stopped in front of her and ever so gently gripped her shoulders. Her eyes searched his, confusion there for a moment. But it passed and she looked down.

"King Mondo thought it fitting that my torture be not anything physical, only mental. So every day, he made me watch what you went through with the letter… all the while calling me 'Beautiful'. He turned the name into a form of torture. When Jason and Kat got me out of there… I didn't speak for weeks, grew extremely paranoid, and would get hysterical if I ever thought that Jason was gone. I had gotten hurt when we escaped, so it took a while to get me better. They thought it best to seek Billy's help in my rehabilitation, and eventually let it slip to the others that I was alright. Rocky and Adam eventually came around to accepting me again, but Aisha hasn't spoken to me at all. Trini tries to visit every week, but usually can only make it once a month. I've been living in Fresno for two weeks, but in California for five years. I didn't know you were still around. I mean I saw the news talk about some rangers in Reefside, and I assumed you might be a part of that. But I didn't know for sure. No one talked to me about you, and I couldn't bring myself to ask. I just figured you wouldn't want me to interrupt your life after everything." Kim finished, seeming to finally breathe. After eight years of not being able to speak to him, of keeping him in the dark; she'd finally told him everything. Sure it seemed rather hard to believe, but she had people who could vouch for her; Jason, Kat, Billy and Trini.

"Kim… I've always wanted you to be a part of my life. Did my refusal to question your letter really make you believe that I didn't care for you? Was it wrong for me to be the supportive boyfriend and just let you go?" Tommy spoke slowly, letting his hands weigh on her shoulders. An odd expression flashed across Kim's face as she stared at him for a moment. Looking down, she let out a deep breath and pulled away. He didn't think she was going to respond, but she did.

"I never wanted you to play a part or just be supportive; I wanted you to fight for me. Every day for the past eight years I've been wondering what I could have said to make you understand. I still don't have that answer." Kim met his gaze, a pained expression on her face. Tommy looked bewildered.

"If you wanted to stay, why didn't you? I just assumed you wanted this, so I was willing to let you go after a dream. A dream you talked about all throughout high school. It wasn't like we all just guessed this was something you wanted; it was something you _told _us you wanted. We all just wanted you to be happy Kim. I didn't want to be selfish, and keep you from accomplishing your dream." Tommy's words only seemed to bring the tears that had been threatening to fall, back. Kim did her best to reign in her emotions, but she couldn't. She was tired of always being under control, tired of keeping her feelings in check, and exhausted from keeping quiet. She'd held her peace in this for far too long, and it was about time she let him know exactly what her thoughts were on the matter.

"Dreams change as people grow... as relationships grow. I never once imagined myself with someone else. Only you. So when it came time for me to make a decision, and the only person whose opinion really mattered was telling me to go; it hurt. So, no. It wasn't your refusal to question the letter that made me doubt your feelings. It was your ignorance to the pleading in my eyes and the longing of my heart. I wanted- _needed _you to ask me to stay… but you didn't." Kim's voice cracked as she spoke, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. She began to back away, readying herself to run. But she had one last thing to say.

"_That _is when I began to doubt that you loved me." Kim admitted before running off toward the house.

* * *

(Okay, so I've finally decided to share what happened to Kimberly. Sorry if it's confusing or stupid to you, but I think it makes much more sense than her ever believing some guy was better for her than Tommy. But that's just me. Hopefully this isn't a disappointment after everything. And yes, it's not as sappy as the last chapter's ending might have been; but I'm not ready to launch them into a healthy relationship yet. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ^^ I love you all! PLEASE review!

~Z.L.)


	22. In the Zone

**Zaley Love:** Okay, so with work, prom, and graduation all lined up for this month; I was bound to neglect my story. I do apologize for not getting something up sooner, but I really had no muse for the story with cramming for school and making time for sleeping AND work. But with school dropping off the list, the only thing coming up is a family vacation that will offer me some more time to focus on writing (while I'm in the car for twenty-four hours) but not while I'm with the fam. Thanks for your patience everyone! Oh, and I fixed a flaw in the previous chapter. I stated that Kim had been living in California for over a year, when in a much _earlier_ chapter; she'd been living there for FIVE years. So yeah, BIG difference. .

**DISCLAIMER: **You know the drill; Power Rangers aren't mine, but the Gem Force is. Charlie, Gwen, Edmund, all space beings and earth thugs; are from my mind. ^^

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**Angel Grove, CA**

_The woods behind Jason's house…_

Tommy stared after Kim as she ran. His first impulse was to run after her; but he froze. For the first time in eight years, it all finally began to add up. The distance he'd felt between them her last week in Angel Grove, his ease at accepting the letter, her refusal to seek him out… his own refusal to find her. This was all _his_ fault in a way. If he had gone with his gut decision to beg her not to go, then they never would have had all these issues. After eight years of blaming her, he was now realizing that _he_ was the one to blame. But knowing it did _not _make it any easier to swallow. Tommy began to mentally kick himself for being such an idiot. Of course he had seen the look in her eyes, but he took it to mean something entirely different. Now, looking back, he could tell exactly what those hazel eyes had been screaming to him every time they met that last week; _ask me to stay!_ Tommy shook his head, finding his legs after a moment and began to run after her.

"Kim, wait!" He called out, not even hoping for a response. Knowing her, she wouldn't stop until she reached the house. A light icy drizzle began to fall, reminding Tommy that they were in the 'winter' Months for this year. Despite the fact that Kim only had a minute's head start on him; Tommy made it all the way back to the house without even catching a glimpse of her. He shook his head, grimacing at the fact that this was the second time in the last twenty-four hours that he had gotten completely soaked. His mind was too wrapped around what Kim said for any other thought to be even considered. Is that what she had been living with for the past eight years? But more importantly; had she been living all those years telling herself that he _didn't _love her? Tommy kicked the wooden steps as he climbed up the porch. This was his fault. He chose to accept the letter. He didn't chase after the girl who meant everything to him. And because of that; she spent eight years of her life lying, hiding and believing he didn't love her. Yes, he felt like the biggest jerk on the planet. What guy wouldn't chase the girl of his dreams after a letter claiming she only thought of him as a brother? Tommy shook his head, gently shutting the back door and making his way to the basement for a dry set of clothes. If he thought he was going to experience insomnia before; now he would be experiencing it on steroids.

_Upstairs…_

Kim sat on the floor behind the door, no longer caring that she was shivering uncontrollably. This was never how she expected things to go, and she never thought she would be able to run away from him after everything. Running away from him was the last thing she would have been able to do a month ago… even a week ago. But somehow, in being able to finally get it all off her chest; she had found enough strength to run. Water rolled off of her and onto the floor, causing a little pool to grow around her, but still she didn't move. Part of her screamed to run downstairs and make things right between them, but she refused to move. Apparently she still feared facing him; now more so since he knew everything. So he claimed that he loved her all those years, but she honestly couldn't see it.

"_Maybe you don't want to see it."_ Kim froze for a moment, glancing around before pulling her knees to her chest and burying her face. It was bad enough that Vera had accessed her thoughts recently, but now she would have to become accustomed to a gem _speaking _to her. A gem that was inside her mind at all times, even when it wasn't speaking to her.

"_Or perhaps you're not even looking… you're afraid of what you might find." _Kim closed her eyes, trying to ignore the voice and finding herself lost in emotions once again.

"I'm not afraid… I'm terrified." She whispered hoarsely, trying to pace her breathing. She could control this, _would _control it. Eight years of practicing wasn't going to be put to shame by the events of two weeks. She was stronger than this.

"_We all know how strong you are, and many of us know you're frightened; but you can't keep running away from him… he loves you." _Kimberly jumped up, twisting the lock on the door knob and pacing about by the bed. No, she wasn't going to yell and wake the whole house. And she wasn't going to try and lie. Before she could vent her anger, she found herself with an odd question.

"What do I call you anyways?" Her brow lifted elegantly, she stopped by the dresser and began to rummage through a drawer. Melodious laughter filler her mind briefly, almost bring a smile to her lips. It was so beautiful and carefree; Kim felt that it might threaten to escape her lips as well. Strange how something inside of her seemed to be able to lift her mood… or at least distract her from her thoughts.

"_I am known by many names, but simply Rue will do. And yes, I can influence your mood; but you have to be willing to accept the change. If you fight it; you will remain however you chose to feel." _Kim nodded, though it looked rather odd considering there was no one to see it. Rue. So her gem had many names, but preferred this one over them all. A half smile graced her lips as she shrugged and closed the dresser drawer. She gently moved off the wet shirt from her torso and then dragged herself out of the pants she'd been wearing. As of right now, all she wanted was some dry clothes. The icy rain pitter-pattered lightly on the window, only increasing her longing to be held in strong arms. Kim refused to wake Jason, and Tommy wasn't exactly who she wanted to be around at this moment.

"_Don't do anything you'll regret." _Rue warned gently, the way a mother might scold a child before they do something they know is wrong. Apparently Kim wasn't the only one who noticed how quickly Charlie jumped into her mind. No. She wasn't going to make things worse between him and Tommy by becoming the source for conflict. Though she might cause nerves to pop between them, she hated to be the cause of it.

"Don't worry about me." She chided softly, not bothering with clothes as she climbed into the bed. Her gaze drifted to the window as lightning flashed outside. A chill crept down her spine. Kim quickly buried herself in the covers and began to hum softly. A tune that brought back memories of sleepless nights; all eased by the melody Dreaming of You by Selena. Somehow, despite the lyrics; the tune calmed her nerves and brought sleep easily to Kim. Hopefully the song would work for tonight as well.

"_If it helps any… he really _does _love you Dear one." _Rue chimed in quietly. Kim ceased her humming for a moment and turned over in the bed, pulling the blanket up under her chin. She knew Rue was trying to help her come to terms with the confusion inside of her but the confession didn't mean anything. Not when it wasn't coming from the man himself. But for the moment, Kim allowed her mood to be swayed by Rue's influence and managed to fall asleep.

_Downstairs…_

Gwen shifted momentarily, but straightened up instead of returning to her position on the ground as she realized Vera wasn't lying there anymore. Rubbing her eyes, she looked about and tried to focus her vision in the dark.

"Over here Gwen." Vera's voice caused Gwen to bite her lip. Inside, her heart ached for the strong woman. At this moment, she sounded anything but strong. Standing up, Gwen followed her voice to the side of the couch. There, Vera sat hugging her knees and staring out the glass door. Her cheeks were stained where tears had run down, but even with red eyes the princess from space was still beautiful. Her violet gaze drifted up to meet Gwen's hazel eyes. Gwen took notice of the mixed emotions with careful examination. Inside those violet pools; Gwen saw every human emotion ranging from grief to pain, but behind it all; a glint of steel began to flash through. Whatever had happened, Vera was pushing herself to be strong. And because of what happened, the steel in her eyes only appeared to be reinforced.

"I know you must think I am crazy for just falling apart on everyone, but it could not be helped." Despite the tears and obvious sadness in Vera's eyes, her voice was only a quiet version of her usual commanding tone. It wasn't in the least bit nasally.

"Vera, everyone could tell something was wrong; we just want to be able to help you get through whatever has happened." Gwen chimed in, lowering herself next to Vera and offering a hopeful smile. For a moment, Vera just stared at her. The woman reached out a hand to gently trace along Gwen's face for a moment as she attempted to smile.

"You should not be burdened with the task of becoming a ranger Gwen. You are so pure and good; this world will do everything to take that away from you without the help of monsters threatening your life. But just like Kimberly; you bring life to a team. You inspire people to be strong, because you yourself strive to offer protection… I hope to see you relieved of this someday soon. You deserve to live a normal life." Vera spoke clearly, her gaze never leaving Gwen's. It was obvious she thought very highly of Gwen. She reminded Vera of her childhood best friend. Sadly, the girl had been one of the first loses when the Klyptoids attacked. Gwen looked at Vera with a strange look in her eyes before giving a half smile and pulling the woman into a hug. Vera awkwardly returned the hug and smiled.

"Everyone deserves a chance to live a normal life, and I'd rather spare some other girl this burden than to be spared myself. I've always been different, so it doesn't bother me to be further disconnected to what most people call a 'normal' life. Besides, it gives me a chance to experience what my aunt and her friends have gone through…. What Dr. Oliver and Kimberly are _still_ going through." Gwen shared in a low tone. She yawned momentarily and shook her head. It sounded as if someone was moving around in the basement, and then as if someone upstairs was getting out of bed. Vera looked up, listening as well and sighing.

"We best get some rest, for I would like to offer an explanation tomorrow to everyone." Vera stated with a shake of her head. Everything still hurt, but Gwen had given her yet another reason to go on. If she fell apart and didn't help this young woman understand the power she now held; Gwen could get hurt. Gwen nodded and moved to the chair, reclining it and closing her eyes. Vera watched her, wishing she could be as calm and sure as Gwen. The girl radiated innocence and hope. Pushing herself up from the floor, Vera stretched herself out on the couch and focused on the sounds upstairs. It was Kim; sleep seemed to be evading her after only a few short hours. Much was on her mind, but Vera refused to investigate the matters. She didn't want to trespass in Kim's privacy.

"_Oh Kim, if you only knew what it was like to really understand how he felt for you… how short one's time living can be…" _Vera thought to herself, pushing past the urge to cry once again as she felt the aching in her chest. Now she knew exactly what Tyro had gone through just several months before.

_Upstairs…_

Kim scowled at her reflection, frustrated that she couldn't stay asleep. Something inside of her didn't feel right. But questioning Rue got her nothing, as it seemed she was intent to let Kim ponder things on her own for a little while. So, being left on her own with the millions of thoughts demanding her attention, Kim did the only thing she could think of; she went downstairs and climbed into bed with Kat. At first the blonde Australian looked confused, but then offered a smile to her friend.

"I couldn't sleep." Kim admitted as Kat nodded and pulled up an extra blanket. Both girls were blanket hogs, and didn't share too well. This brought a half smile to Kim's lips as she accepted the blanket and made herself comfortable.

"So, did you talk to Tommy yet?" Kat asked groggily, making Kim feel moderately guilty about waking the woman. But Kat didn't appear to mind. She shrugged as she thought how best to respond.

"Yes, but it was a disaster. I said much more than I intended… and then ran off. I don't think there's much of a chance this will just blow over. Every time I look at him; I can see the hurt inside. Sure he tries his best to hide; but it's there. And it's not just that I can see it, I can actually _feel _it Kat." As she spoke, Kim fought off the sense of despair that threatened to seize her. No, she wouldn't break down in front of Kat. She'd had enough crying for one week.

"Oh Kim, I know it's probably hard to believe it; but Tommy really does care about you. This is very difficult for both of you right now, but you can't just give up. And you can't keep running away from him." Kat whispered softly, giving Kim's arm a gentle squeeze. Kim sighed, but remained silent. It seemed everyone appeared to know exactly how Tommy felt. Well, everyone but Tommy and herself. But Kat didn't try to pester her into speaking, and soon both women were fast asleep.

_The following morning…_

Billy was the first one up, working steadily at his computer after making a quick pot of coffee. Of course his phone and e-mails were beyond blasted with complaints from his employer. But he was quick to explain that he was on a personal leave until further notice. This was responded with requests that he take care of whatever needed to be done and not to hurry back. Billy shook his head. If only it were that simple. He smiled at seeing both Gwen and Vera sleeping soundly, trying not to disturb them as he worked. Today, he was going to start working on a morpher for the team. But being that the gems were now a part of them, it would be hard to find a way to create a suit, so to speak, to keep them protected while fighting. Not protected in the sense of body armor, but more of protection from publicity. This was his number one concern at the moment, and he already had several ideas floating around in his mind on how to work this out. And with some help, he just might be able to offer a unique morpher. Adjusting his glasses, Billy began to tap away at his keyboard, becoming oblivious to the world as he concentrated on the science behind his idea. Yes, he was in the 'zone' now.

It was another hour before the house began to liven up, first with Edmund joining Billy for some coffee before saying he had to bolt. Something about needing to go home and explain to his family that he was going to be busy with some friends for the winter break. Billy hoped it was enough for his parents, perhaps they wouldn't be the type who freaked out about their son spending more and more time away from home and with strangers. He shook his head, returning to the formula he was creating on the screen. By the time he was through with the basics, Gwen and Vera had gotten up and started making breakfast. Kat was next in line, followed by Jason and Charlie. Kim and Tommy were the only ones missing out, but no one seemed to be saying anything. Jason simply mentioned that Tommy was downstairs, and Kat said Kim was still sleeping. So, they didn't bother the two and focused on the meal. Of course there were the questions hanging in the air directed toward Vera, who appeared to be doing a little better than the day before. But no one appeared to be in a hurry to voice those questions.

"So, what're you working on now Billy?" Jason asked with interest, pausing to take a sip from his coffee. Looking up from his screen, Billy reclined his chair slightly and shrugged.

"Well, I have taken the liberty to try and create a sort of 'suit' for the team. But this is much more complicated than a basic morpher, due to the lack of information I have on the gems. But I believe it is coming along nicely." He admitted, taking the chance to removes his glasses and give them a quick run over with the edge of his shirt. As eyes shifted toward him, Billy gave a half smile and sat his chair upright again.

"I could help with the science behind the gems, but I do not think I can offer more than that." Vera spoke up after a moment, causing the room's attention to shift toward her. No one had expected her to offer, but Billy was relieved she had.

"If you think you're up to it; that would be tremendously helpful. But I don't want to push you, so be sure to take your time." Billy said with a half-smile. The last thing he wanted to do was have her get involved and cause her to breakdown. But it didn't look as though Vera shared his fears.

"Believe me when I tell you this; that will not be necessary. When everyone is here I will explain yesterday, but until then; I would enjoy keeping my mind occupied with work." So it was settled. After breakfast, Vera pulled up a second chair and began to help Billy correct his formula for the gems. She seemed greatly impressed by how far he had managed on his own, and appeared to think this would work. But would it? Billy hoped so, but he wasn't one to celebrate prematurely. As the two got lost in science and formulas, Kimberly made her first appearance.

"Whatcha doing?" Jason asked playfully, he was helping Charlie clear the table. Kim glanced up and shrugged.

"I just thought I could use a run, I won't be gone long." Kim said in a tired voice, her eyes betraying that she hadn't slept much that night. Kat offered her a smile as she poked her head out of the kitchen.

"You sure you don't want a bite to eat first?" She asked lightly, watching as Kim finished tying her shoes and shook her head.

"Nah, I'll eat when I come back." Kim replied as she opened the door and waved before disappearing outside. Jason sighed as he set some plates down on the counter. He didn't like it when Kim went out alone. She'd been living alone for five years, why couldn't she just accept the fact that they wanted her around? At the desk Vera and Billy exchange murmurs as they worked. Jason dropped a plate when Billy jumped up and grabbed a sheet of papers that had just been printed. Vera watched with a hopeful expression. They never even noticed that shattering in the kitchen. Tommy hurried up from the basement, looking around with a questioning gaze at the faces in the kitchen.

"What's going on up here?" Tommy asked, turning to see Billy –and now Vera- examining some papers. Jason shrugged, smirking slightly as he moved to get the broom for the broken glass. Tommy shook his head, taking a seat at the counter as Kat offered some food.

"We got it. Or at least, we've got _something_." Billy stated, holding up the last page with a look of accomplishment. Vera offered a smile as well, though she remained quiet in the matter. Tommy looked at his old friend with some confusion as he raised a brow.

"What are you talking about?"

"We've made up an idea for a morpher; something to harness the gems power so you can protect your identities when trouble arises, and it won't even be very noticeable." Billy stated with a nod, looking to Vera as she offered a half-smile. Tommy just stared at him for a moment, but began to understand what he was saying. Basically; they were going to be in matching suites once more and keeping secrets from everyone else. But oddly enough, it didn't bother him to know that he was going to be joining a fight again. No, what bothered him; was that _Kim_was going to be a part of this fight. And they were the only two with experience, though Charlie could probably hold his own as well. But Gwen and Edmund? They were just normal young adults who- Tommy stopped as he remembered. The gems selected people based on their heart and ability to survive. If they had been chosen, they were going to be fine.

"What do we need to do to test this thing out?" Tommy finally questioned, bringing Billy to smile.

"Just for you to do whatever Vera suggests. She's got the science behind the gems. So she'll help with that, while I set to work creating the morpher itself."

* * *

(Alright, so I know this chapter is long overdue and probably a little jumpy; but I was a little scatter brained had a few things too many that I wanted put out there. I'm sorry if it's not up to par. Please review!  
~Z.L. )


	23. A New Perspective

**Zaley Love:** I am SO sorry! Summer got insanely busy for me, then work and everything. I will do my best to try and have a chapter up at LEAST every two weeks. But I won't make any promises because I don't know what plans my family has or what's up with friends. So yeah. But I will truly be making an effort to get this story going some more. Also, I think I'll have more fun writing about the different relationship aspects in the story now, since I know what it's like to be in an amazing relationship! ^^

**DISCLAIMER: **You know the drill; Power Rangers aren't mine, but the Gem Force is. Charlie, Gwen, Edmund, all space beings and earth thugs; are from my mind. ^^

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's backyard…_

"Just take a deep breath and focus like the other day. Bring out the gem normally, and then place it on the table." Vera instructed as she watched the three in the yard before her. Gwen, Charlie and Tommy were the only three of the team in the house at the time; so they were going to help test out this new morpher idea. Again, Gwen was the first to achieve success in this area. It was obvious this wasn't her second time, and that brought Vera to smiling. It was encouraging to know that at least Gwen, the youngest and least experienced person on the team, was embracing this new chapter of her life with genuine interest and curiosity.

"Alright, here's where it becomes a little more difficult." Vera said slowly, her head tilting to the side as she watched them looked to her with questioning but attentive eyes. She felt like a teacher all of the sudden, and it made her want to cry. Teaching made her think of home, and home brought on memories of Aiorth. Vera rubbed her forehead momentarily, easing her gaze from the three who stood in front of her.

"You need to alter the shape of your gem, breaking off just a little bit of it for the devices Billy is making." The other stared at her for a moment, Gwen looking doubtfully at the perfectly round pearl in her palm. Vera sighed, she knew it would be especially difficult to tempt the pearl to change form or give off a 'sample' of itself, but she had faith in Gwen. The girl had heart and didn't seem to let herself get easily discouraged. Yes, she did indeed suit the part of the Pearl.

"So… we should talk to them, right? Be sure they don't mind?" Charlie was the first to speak beside Vera, causing her to become encouraged with him. He paid attention more than she gave him credit for. Tommy and Gwen shot looks in his direction, though not unkind or rude. Simply curious, but it was enough to cause his jaw to lock.

"I would encourage you to speak with them before trying to manipulate them. The gems might not like it if you simply take things into your own hands. Without their cooperation; you will fail to take even the smallest sample." Vera stated with a half-smile, trying to let Charlie know in that smile that she appreciated his input. He shrugged, looking at the rough shard of Bloodstone in his hand. Tommy seemed to be making progress already, the shard in his hand contorting and twisting its form, his brow furrowed as he seemed to be concentrating. But oddly enough, Charlie was the first to achieve a sample, then followed Tommy and Gwen. Despite the difficulty in separating even a fragment of the pearl from itself, Gwen seemed to already be well enough acquainted with her gem to prompt the sample from it.

"Well I hope Edmund and Kim have as much ease in this as you three have... Where are they anyways?" Vera voiced something that had concerned her for the last fifteen minutes, but shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to bother the others. But at her comment, Tommy's expression instantly changed as he looked about. She could hear him arguing with himself, causing her to blush lightly. She hadn't meant to intrude upon his thoughts. Old habits die hard.

_The road to Jason's house…_

Kim let her running slow to a jog, then to a quick trot and slowly to a walk. Despite the unquenchable need to keep going, or to simply run away from everything; Kim found herself stopping. How had she gotten this far away from who she once was? How did she turn into such a worn and world wary young woman, instead of one who was yearning to see what each new day brought? Sure she had something happen to upset the happy life she once knew so well; but what had caused her to stop fighting for it? When had she run out of hope?

_"It's not so much that you've run out of hope, but simply that you've given yourself reasons to doubt that there's anything in life worth hoping for."_

Again Rue had stripped her down to reveal the core of her issues. No matter how she tried to mask it, the gem had much more insight to her than she could explain. Kim shook her head, tired of everything.

"_You have come a long way from being the heart of the team. To everyone of your friends, you are still that and much more. But in your mind; you've given up on yourself completely. He hasn't given up on you dear one, but have you given up on him? Your falcon needs your reassurance to be able to be the leader he once was. You aren't just the one he loves; YOU are his heart. How can one lead without their heart? He needs you, maybe more than you are comfortable with at this time. But I believe you'll begin to risk your heart a little more for him, especially since you still love him. That much, you can't hide from me."_

Kim was getting ready to protest when she felt Rue withdrawing deeper into her. She shrugged, turning around and jumping when she almost ran straight into Edmund.

"Whoa, sorry Kim; I thought you heard me." Edmund apologized in his quiet way, she just nodded, annoyed with herself for being so easily startled.

"It's alright Edmund, are you heading back to Jason's?" Kim asked with a quirked brow, remembering that he wasn't at the house when she left. Something about going to tell his parents he was going to be away for a few days. In her younger years, her mother would have had a heart attack if Kim didn't come home. Now she rarely spoke to the woman. Something about miscommunications after she came back, or rather; was _brought _back. Edmund was lucky to have such understanding parents.

"Yeah, it's the only place I really feel comfortable. I guess I'm just a little cautious of the new hazards that come with being a part of the new team of rangers, and I like knowing that I'm around people who are confident with these situations." Edmund admitted with a casual shrug, motioning for Kim to continue walking. They walked, Kim nodding at his comment but remaining silent for a moment. She hadn't thought of what it must be like for the two newest members. She had been dealing with a life filled with dangerous creatures and saving towns since she was fifteen. She really didn't get the chance to live a 'normal' life. So she couldn't understand exactly how Edmund was feeling. Especially not since she'd grown used to this lifestyle, hell; she'd been in this rut of fighting and hiding for ten years.

"Well you're with a very safe group of people. Jason, Billy and I have been at this for ten years. We were three of the first rangers in Angel Grove. Tommy came a little after that, and Kat has been in and out of it for the last eight or seven years. And from what I know of Vera, she's a warrior princess; so I don't doubt that you feel comfortable at Jason's house." She said with a smile, causing Edmund to laugh. Kim was beginning to see why Gwen adored the young man so. He was light hearted and easy to talk to. But even in all this, her heart began to sink because she missed the man she always found it easiest to talk to. Would she ever be able to move on and make things work with him again? She pushed this thought away and realized she'd missed Edmund's comment.

"I'm sorry, I have a lot on my mind. What'd you say before?"

"It's alright. I just asked if you were alright. You seem a little melancholy, get enough sleep last nigh-" Edmund stopped as he seemed to recall the events of the day before and mentally kicked himself.

"I'm sorry Kimberly; I didn't mean to imply that you don't have a reason to be tired or anything."

"Trust me Edmund, you didn't offend me. I completely understand how a mind can draw a blank of the day before. But anyways, I really am just tired." Kimberly said, only being half honest. She didn't have to give details of what she was tired of. He didn't ask, so why would she share? He nodded at her remark and looked ahead at Jason's house. Something was obviously on his mind.

"What about you? You seem a little... distracted." Kim commented, causing a momentary look of surprise to flash across Edmund's face. He wasn't usually so easily read, so Kim had surprised him.

"It's just all… very new to me. And I'm worried about Gwen and myself, as we're new to this and have zero experience. I don't think I could bear to see her get hurt." The sincere emotions in his voice when speaking of Gwen gave away his feelings for the girl. Kim almost found it too much to bear. She wanted to wrap her arms around Edmund and give him a hug, telling him that he should let Gwen know how he feels, because Gwen really does reciprocate his feelings. She wanted to tell him to never leave her in doubt of where he stands, and to never doubt her. But she stayed quiet. Who was she to give advice on a relationship when she couldn't even mend her own? Kim gave Edmund's shoulder a soft squeeze.

"And you'll never have to see her hurt, so long as you believe that you can protect her. Don't doubt your ability to be there for her, and don't think you're not enough. If you do, you're setting yourself up for seeing not only her get hurt, but also for yourself." Kim said with somber sincerity in her voice. For someone whose relationships didn't seem to be working, she gave some pretty good advice. If only she could have applied it to her own situations. Edmund looked at her with understanding in his eyes as he stopped and turned to face her. Kim stopped to look at him with a raised brow. Edmund placed his hand on her shoulders and offer a half smile.

"I know I haven't been around here the longest, and that I know practically nothing about you and Dr. Oliver. But I know the looks he gives you, and I know that when he's pretending to sleep at night it's because he's not happy with how things are between you two right now. It might not be obvious to you, but he does love you. I'm not saying to take my advice in this, or to accept it from us. If you're waiting for him to say it, than that's completely understandable. But don't think you can't love him if he hasn't told you he never stopped loving you. I can see that you're afraid, but don't let your fear keep you from loving him. Despite his strong exterior; Tommy has a very vulnerable weakness. You could destroy him. Just the thought of losing you yesterday had him going crazy. So, don't let your stubbornness rob you of the joy of being loved by him. Or better yet; of loving him. As great as being loved in return feels, nothing beats the feeling of being completely and totally in love with someone." After sharing his thoughts, Edmund let his hands drop as a light blush crept into his cheeks. It was obvious he hadn't planned on saying all of that. But Kim found herself glad that he had. Without really thinking, she gave him a quick hug.

"Thanks." She said as they continued to the house, passing the driveway. Gwen would be insane if she didn't completely love this man with her whole heart. Edmund was one of those precious gentlemen still left in this world. He reminded her very much of young Tommy. When he had been shy and adorably sweet; not that he wasn't the same now, he was just now a little more experienced in life and love. Being the leader of a team had stiffened him out a bit. Not that it was such a bad thing; she just found it harder to believe that _he _needed _her_. She wasn't strong or anything like that. How could he need her? As they walked into the house, Kim pushed the thoughts away and looked around. Billy was messing around with something at the desk, but everyone else was gone.

"Everyone else is outside, extricating a fragment for my new idea for a morpher." Billy said, causing Kim to smile. Where would they be without him? She gave a nod and followed as Edmund led the way out. Vera was speaking to Gwen, Tommy and Charlie, all of which seemed to be turning something over in their hands. Jason and Kat noticed the two first, getting up from the deck chairs with questioning gazes.

"Is everything okay with your family Edmund?" Kat asked first with a smile, looking relieved when he simply nodded. As conversation sparked on the deck, the four in the yard looked over. Gwen, Charlie and Vera all wore welcoming smiles. Tommy seemed to be avoiding looking altogether though, causing a knot to build in Kim's gut. She felt Edmund pinch her hand a little when he walked past, wearing a smile that was meant for encouraging her. Kim nodded with a smile and followed toward the group in the yard.

"Oh, yeah they're all fine. I just told them I'd be spending most of my vacation with some friends. I think my siblings found it more annoying than my parents." Edmund said with a light shake of his head, looking to the group with a smile. His gaze lingered on Gwen, who seemed to be growing red at the attention. He looked to Vera with a lifted brow.

"So, what do you need us to do? Billy said something about 'extricating a fragment' for a new 'morpher' or something like that." He added with a soft smile, his eyes engaging and interested. Kim just lingered behind a little, not daring to risk meeting the gaze that she could feel resting upon her. Was she really so afraid of letting him know she loved him simply because she wasn't absolutely positive he returned her feelings? Was it wrong of her to want to hear him say it from his own lips?

"Oh, well I'll need you two to call out your gems and then convince them to let you have a fragment of them. Not a large piece, just enough to power whatever little device Billy conjures up for a morpher." Vera said with a smile, motioning for Gwen, Charlie and Tommy to show their own shards. Edmund looked with interest, his hand tracing along the edges of his chin as he considered his best option. Kim slowly looked up, but kept her gaze limited to the pieces of gems in their hands.

"Alright, well don't be surprised if it takes me a few minutes." Edmund said with a light shrug, seeming to withdraw into himself a little more. His brow furrowed in concentration, and Vera watched as he began to call out his gem. She looked to see if Kimberly was trying at all and was surprised to see her already working on contorting the ruby shard to give off a small piece of itself. She was probably -by far- the most in sync with her gem. This gave Vera hope for the woman, as she seemed determined to be a part of the team, even though she had many inward battles of her own yet to be won. Determination like that is what made her the heart of the team, and the person Tommy couldn't live without. Vera returned to watching Edmund, who was now working on contorting the shape, though slowly and not at all elegantly. Kimberly examined the sliver of pure ruby in her hand, at awe with the knowledge that she actually had much more of this _inside _of her. Simply keeping her super charged, healthy and alive. To think, just a few weeks ago she was living in Fresno, looking for a job. She was in hiding, trying to ignore the pain inside that screamed for him. Burying herself in cleaning, fixing her apartment, and trying to numb the emotions and heartache. Now, she was becoming part of another team with people she cared about.

"I've got it." Edmund's voice interrupted her thoughts, causing Kim to shake her head as she looked around. As her eyes landed on Tommy she realized he had been watching her. She bit her bottom lip, wanting to say something; but nothing came out and she dropped her gaze. How could she ever put to words exactly what she wanted, no; _needed _to hear him say?

"Great job everyone, now I guess we should check and see if Billy is ready for the gem fragments." Vera stated with a soft smile, walking up toward the porch. Gwen started up right after her and then Edmund after giving an encouraging smile to Kim. Charlie watched Tommy begin to go after that, but he walked over to Kim.

"First off, I just wanted to say sorry about everything. I didn't mean to get anyone else mixed up in what was happening with Vince. And if I caused any difficulties between you and Tommy, I really didn't know. I enjoy your company Kim, but I don't want to be getting you into awkward situations with your friend. I've never really had friends like you've got, so I might not understand everything that goes on; but I know they really care about you. Don't shut them out forever." Charlie said with a friendly smile, patting Kim's arm the way a brother might before she gave him into a light hug.

"Thank you Charlie, it means a lot. And trust me, all is forgiven. In our line of work, I'm usually the one who gets captured. I guess you could say I'm used to being the damsel in distress that everyone saves. But as for everything else; don't worry about that. Tommy and I have things that haven't been worked out for years; you didn't start any of that. As for my friends; I've been a bit disconnected for the last seven or eight years, only talking to some of them. So they're a little skeptical of me opening up to someone new and not them. But they'll grow accustomed to you being a part of the team, just like they'll get used to Edmund and Gwen. We've all got some growing pains to deal with in this." Kim said with a shrug, nodding to Jason as he waved for them to come in. Charlie walked with Kim up into the house, everyone looking with curious awe at the device in Billy's hand.

"Is that a…. ring?" Gwen asked with a lifted brow, causing the others to look closely.

"It's not just any ring, it's going to be your morphers." Billy said with a smile and held up what appeared to be a silver class ring without a gem.

* * *

(My deepest apologies that this was not up sooner. I was having interest issues, and have been moved around a work a lot. Plus I'm still learning how to act in a new relationship and I love it! ^^ I have a 6 day weekend coming up on the 12th, and should be able to work on the next chapter then. But if I don't it'll be because someone kidnapped me for shopping or surprise dates. Please review and let me know what's lacking or what you'd like to see more of! Thanks again everyone!

~Z.L. )


	24. Class Rings

**Zaley Love:** I can't express how excited all the positive feedback has made me! Thank you all so much! You people are so amazing and I really appreciate you taking the time to not only read the story, but to write reviews as well. ^^ Thanks again! It's the feedback and positive responses that get my muse pumping, which ultimately leads to another chapter coming out!

**DISCLAIMER: **You know the drill; Power Rangers aren't mine, but the Gem Force is. Charlie, Gwen, Edmund, all space beings and earth thugs; yeah, they're from my mind. ^^

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's House…_

"Whilst trying to come up with an unnoticeable morpher, the thought of a ring occurred to me. A class ring, since they are the most casually seen rings, and are so easily customized to suit a person's interest. They won't raise questions and they will be on your hand at all times." Billy shared, handing each of the five a silver class ring. The only thing missing from each ring was the gem. As their minds seemed to be wrapping around the information, Tommy appeared to be having trouble accepting the ring just yet.

"I don't see how a ring will work. From the looks of it, this is simply a silver band without a stone. How will these help us morph?" Tommy asked in his usual serious tone, raising a brow as he directed his gaze to Billy. The gentleman with glasses wore a smile as he shrugged.

"I can't explain the science behind what will happen, but according to what Vera has informed me; the gems will take care of everything else, so long as you have a gem fragment in your grasp. What better place to keep one than in a ring on your hand?" At Billy's words, Tommy nodded turning his gaze now to the sliver of sapphire in his other hand. Billy looked at the five with a reassuring smile before nodding to Vera, wanting her to take over.

"The next steps will be all you. Billy and I have done all we can with preparing the rings, but you will have to set the gems. They can only be handled by their hosts, and you will need to contort it to look like a regular class ring stone." As she spoke, Vera walked over to Gwen and offered a smile. The younger woman returned the smile, but looked thoughtfully toward the pearl in her hand. Setting the gems wouldn't be the hardest part, not after they had all been able to cajole their gems into parting with a small fraction of themselves. Vera had high hope for this group, as they seemed genuinely in sync with their gems, even if they still had to work on coming together as a team. Strong bonds didn't grow overnight.

"Wait, so if we happened to lose the ring, would it be useless to anyone else?" Kim spoke up, causing all eyes to fall on her petite form. She had been the most quiet, standing toward the back with Charlie. She, Kat and Tommy exchanged meaningful glances. Before Kat was on their side, she'd been working for Rita and Zedd. Not of her own free-will, but under the influence of Rita's magic; Kat had stolen Kimberly's power coin. Kimberly had come close to dying, and ended up giving Kat the power coin once her tie to it was severed. The thought of someone being able to take something connected to their powers, and have it hurt someone again was not something she was looking forward to.

"It would be useless to any other humans, but if a Klyptoid got ahold of the gem; they have a machine that could convert the gem into energy for their weapons. But they cannot take the gem from inside of you. They can only get ahold of parts of the gem you have taken out. But when you are morphed, they can only hurt you as much as the gem can take; which is much more than the Klyptoids can put out. Endurance wise, you will never tire before a Klyptoid… if it helps at all, you all cannot be harmed as easily when you are morphed." Vera explained slowly, taking her time to be clear and looking around to see if they followed what she was saying. Seeing them nod slowly, she continued.

"When morphed, your gem will be stronger and can easily heal or protect you. You may have noticed while you fought the Klyptoids the other day how healing is at a faster pace. The gems are more in sync with you when you are morphed, which means they are more powerful, as are all of you." Kim nodded, listening to Vera speak and feeling more at ease. Not that knowing she and four others were basically immortal was easy to accept, but it was nice to know that they couldn't use their gems against them. At least they wouldn't have to worry about that.

"That being said, you still need to be cautious morphed. You will all basically be super-charged. Every movement will be faster, sense heightened, and blow more powerful. Being morphed you can expect to take a blow with less recovery time, but also deliver what you may think to be a simple hit; only to send someone flying backwards. The only time you can experience such a controlled connection with your gem, is when you stop blocking them out. It will not be easy, but you will eventually be as alert demorphed, as you are morphed." Vera finished with a brief look of fatigue passing through her eyes as she dropped her shoulders back and took a seat at the desk. As the information seemed to be processing, Gwen looked around before letting out a sigh and looking to Vera with a questioning gaze.

"What about what happened the other day in town. When we were fighting, I should have been hurt or at least hit; but I listened to my gem and thought about the shot missing me. It was like I controlled what was going on, how did that happen?" Gwen's soft voiced wonderment had the others thinking again.

"'Tis one of the many mysteries of the gem, my dear. Even my people do not completely understand what happens, but on occasion the gems seem to give them the ability to control time and space itself. You demonstrated a talent many live with on my planet. The ability to control and manipulate the course in which an object will move. And you only have to _think _of where you want it to go." Vera stated, recalling as she watched the strain on Gwen face the first time a shot missed. This is where explaining became tricky, as it was a natural thing for her people to simply grow up understanding how to use whatever ability they acquired. Namely because they never ceased communicating with the gems around them. That and everyone on Crystallian was connected through thoughts on a daily basis.

"My guess is that every one of you has developed a new ability, so to speak. I cannot tell you what it is, but you will find yourself discovering it when you need it most; as Gwen did. Listen to your gem's prompts; for they shall not lead you astray. You have all become immensely stronger because of these gems, so do not limit your thinking to physical strength. The ability can range from many different things, so it would do me no good to list the many I am familiar with, as only your gem can be sure right now what it is exactly you can do." Vera spoke, and then allowed herself a moment to rest her head in her hands. It has been a long morning for her so far and she found herself unnaturally exhausted. Around her, the others seemed to be letting everything sink in. Gwen shifted uneasily on her feet as she looked about. Kat offered her a half smile, hoping to easy her mind somewhat.

"So, we basically should always pay attention to the gems, but more so when things get difficult if we hope to access this unknown ability?" Edmund questioned with a risen brow, looking around to see if he was the only one who seemed to be a bit more conflicted. It appeared that no matter how much they learned, theses gems would always have some mystery hidden with them that they would chose to share in their own time.

"I believe that one should always be open to their gem, but when you are not used to sharing your intimates thoughts and the privacy of your mind with someone or something else; it can be challenging. Listen and remain open to your gem as often as you can. That is all I would encourage you to do on this matter." Vera said softly, resting her head in her hands for a moment. The others seemed to be letting everything sink in for the moment. But they soon recalled the rings in their hands, exchanging glances curiously. Gwen shrugged as she began to try to prompt the pearl in her hand to set right in the silver band. In the back of the room, Kimberly seemed to be having the best of luck. Her eyes were intently watching the ruby in her hand as she reached out to it with her mind and gently began to contort it as she set the ring. All eyes were on Kim as she examined the ring, though she seemed a bit skeptical about putting it on. Tommy, Gwen, Charlie and Edmund set to work on finishing their rings, each one finishing theirs and turning to look at Vera.

"Is something wrong Vera?" Kat piped up, noticing how worn the woman looked. Vera lifted her head, her violet eyes meeting the gaze of those around her as she shook her head.

"I have no intention of taking away the excitement of Billy's new invention; but I would like to explain to everyone what took place yesterday evening." She started, pausing to take a breath and exhale slowly. How to put to words what had occurred wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. All words and ability to make sense of things escaped her momentarily as she watched the others turn to face her.

"You may have recalled me mentioning the captivity of my brother Tyro and my mate Aiorth. On my planet, family shares a special mind link. I'm forever connected on a mental level with my brother. But more so I am connected to Aiorth. People on my planet are only meant to mate once in their life. Upon marriage, their minds become linked in a way that cannot be explained… Yesterday that link was severed. I can always feel Aiorth, and for the first time in many years' I can no longer _feel_ him." Vera appeared to be struggling to find her voice. An unfamiliar emptiness gnawed at her soul where the connection to Aiorth should have been felt; but there was nothing. Her chest fought against the effort she took to breathe, finding that her lungs weren't able to process the oxygen. Every fiber of her being burned to feel her lover, to know that he was alright; but she knew it wasn't so. He had been stripped away from her forever.

"The only way the connection can be stripped from someone is if their mate-" Her voice shook, causing the woman to stop. Vera fought to regain some composure, but how was one to ignore the abandonment so deeply planted in their soul? Coughing in an attempt to clear her voice, Vera averted her gaze.

"Is if their mate dies. Yesterday, the Klyptoids killed Aiorth. He is lost to me forever… I cannot put to words the complete isolation or the desperate need to feel his mind against mine. Nor can I explain the emptiness and desperation sinking in. I have lost a very dear person… No one should have to experience this, and I want to give everyone here the chance to leave this fight and walk away. No one would blame you, and I cannot ask you to fight for my people… to put your lives at risk.-" Vera was cut off short as Kim suddenly stepped forward and wrapped the woman into a hug. Try as she might to be strong before them, she couldn't hide the emotions in her voice. Kim hugged her tightly, as a dear friend or sister might. The first tear rolled down Vera's cheek.

"There isn't a person in this room who would even dare think of abandoning you or your people Vera. I can't explain how sorry I am about your loss, but I want you to understand that you are not alone in this. We want to help you." Kim spoke softly, her voice betraying the raw emotion Vera's experience brought up in her. She couldn't begin to imagine what it must feel like to lose someone as Vera had. Kim's eyes traveled to Tommy, but she cast her glance down as she saw he was looking at her as well. She had never lost him completely, as Vera had lost Aiorth. In fact that thought of losing him in such a way was almost enough to send her to him in that instant. But Kim had grown proud over the years, and her pride wouldn't allow her to admit to needing him… Not right now, that is.

"Yes, we want to help. We're going to do whatever we can to ensure that you and your brother are reunited and your people are kept safe from the Klyptoids." Tommy assured her, his voice seemed stiff, almost as if he were fighting off emotions. Seeing Kim embrace the woman as she finished her tale caused him to question why he didn't just come out and tell her how he felt. You were never guaranteed tomorrow, so why was he waiting? He now knew the reason behind the false letter, and knew why she'd kept her distance; why didn't he put her worries aside and simply tell her that he loved her? He had never stopped loving this woman, yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her at this moment. It wasn't the right time. Kim and Vera finished embracing and a new glint of steel appeared in Vera's eyes. If only he could borrow some of her strength, perhaps things might be easier to face.

"I know you all believe you are doing the right thing, just as I believe you are. But please do not think that I take the sacrifice you are making lightly… So long as the crystals remain inside of you, there will be little this planet can offer you. You are all practically immortal. And believe me, an immortal life is never an easy one." Vera spoke again, her voice finding more strength than even she believed she could muster. They needed to know the truth and to know exactly what they were stepping into.

"But that being said, so long as Tyro lives; there is a way for you to be given back your mortality. He is the key to the crystals, if we can save him then there is hope for you all to experience life on Earth as it ought to be known." As Vera's words sank in, eyes drifted to the floor. They knew that regardless of if they wanted this or not; they could never back out now. The crystals were already inside each of them, so even if they wanted to walk away; they couldn't escape the immortal fate that awaited them. They _had _to save Tyro.

"I know I don't tend to pipe in often, but I'd like to think I speak for all of us when I say… We're going to see this all the way through Vera, whatever the cost." Charlie broke his silence, being the first to put on his ring and look to the others. He met Tommy's gaze and gave a respectful nod. Despite their rocky beginning, Tommy felt that thing could turn around for Charlie. If things could turn around for him, a man who started as an Evil Green Power Ranger; Charlie wasn't too far gone.

"He's right. We will see this through to the end, whatever the cost." Tommy agreed, looking to the rest of the group with an assuring smile. Vera felt hope taking place of the despair in her heart; they were coming together as a team.

"Whatever the cost." Gwen and Edmund echoed, each offering their own enthused smiles. All eyes seemed to shift to Kimberly as she slipped the ring on her finger. As Tommy watched her he was again reminded of how much he loved her. Despite the obvious discomfort and fear she attempted to mask; she was still willingly to carry on with a difficult task. She would continue to put her shoulder to the wheel.

"Whatever the cost." Kimberly chimed in slowly, taking on a more somber look than that of the others. She didn't relish the thought of immortality, so she would do her best to help save Tyro and the innocent people of Crystalline. Not because she wanted her mortality back, but because it was the right thing to do; regardless of if they were able to get their mortality back. With all the hope filling the others, Kim fought to keep of a wave of doubt… why did she feel as if something awful was headed straight for the group of five?

_"Doubt is healthy, for it reminds you that you are not perfect; but don't let it consume you dear one." _Kim exhaled deeply, giving a silent 'thank-you' to Rue. She wouldn't let these feelings rule her; she would be cautious, but confident… Just as Tommy had been all those years ago as their leader.

"I would suggest a field run with the rings, but I don't think it would be safe to simply try them out for fun. I believe they'll work just fine when the time comes. But for now… who's up for some food at Juice Bar?" Billy suggested with a smile, wanting to get out of the house for a bit himself. As the group seemed to find that idea very agreeable, the crowd dispersed for outfit changes and wallet finding.

* * *

(I'm sorry for the extreme delay on this chapter; it should have been out ages ago! Sadly I recently moved out of my parents and I have yet to purchase a laptop or get the internet installed. So it might take some time but I have not forgotten about the story and I will be getting to it as often as I can. Sorry if the ending to this one is kind of blah, I'm a bit _muse-less_ today. But again, thanks so much for reading! You all are so amazing!  
~Z.L.)


	25. I Want to See You be Brave

**Zaley Love:** Saying sorry doesn't seem good enough. Honestly life has become insanely hectic and I rarely have time to write. But I can make more of an effort to be writing now, recently made a career change and I no longer work nights! I work 40+ work weeks but I still should be able to make more time to write. And I do sincerely apologize for leaving the story hanging for so long! I have missed writing it and will be making more of an effort to continue in writing it.

**DISCLAIMER:** You know the drill; Power Rangers aren't mine, but the Gem Force is. Charlie, Gwen, Edmund, all space beings and earth thugs; yeah, they're from my mind. ^^

* * *

**Angel Grove, CA**

_Jason's House****_

After all the excitement of crafting the rings, most of the group broke off to go grab a bite to eat at Ernie's, all but Vera and Kim. Both women just needed some quiet time, and Kim could tell that Vera needed a friend. 

"I can't imagine what you're going through Ve-"

"Actually I believe that you and Tommy are the only two who can even remotely understand." Vera interrupted that statement with her thought, looking at Kim with her penetrating violet eyes. Kim averted her gaze, her face becoming slightly flushed. She felt like a child in the presence of such a strong and dominant female.

"Kim... I did not mean to upset you. I just believe that you can partially grasp a fraction of the pain I am experiencing simply because you carry around the burden of a lost love with you everywhere." She paused, crossing the room to place hands on the petite brunette's shoulders.

"The only difference is that your lost love is currently residing in the same house as you, also carrying the same burden." Vera appeared to have a knack for making the most complicated things simple. Apparently human emotional issues were her specialty. At least that's how it appeared to Kim.

"I'm sorry Vera, compared to your situation my own problem is just immature and childish. I know what I should do, but I can't seem to swallow my pride enough to simply be honest with him."

"Or yourself." Vera added, giving Kim a smile that was filled with such compassion it made Kim felt guilty that Vera was consoling her when she was the one who had just lost her husband, or mate as Vera had referred to him. Kim couldn't fathom how the woman could be so strong. Without warning, Kim wrapped Vera in a tight hug, feeling her eyes water.

"How do you do it? You felt your lover's mind being ripped away from you as he died, yet you stand tall and do your best to help solve our trivial and insignificant problems... You don't have to be so strong Vera."

"Yes, I do Kim. It is simply who I am, I cannot give into my emotions just because they are strong and painful; I have to survive." Though her eyes showed tremendous strength, Vera's voice was tired and cracked with emotion as she spoke. Kim's heart went out to the woman. Never had she met anyone quite as strong, well aside from Tommy.

"Giving in to my emotions now, when you all need someone to explain and teach; that would be selfish. Not to mention how many people's lives it could jeopardize…" Vera's voice only momentarily wavered as she swallowed past a lump in her throat. She released Kim from her hug and looked at her with an expression that conveyed her appreciation of having a friend. Back on Crystalline everyone's minds were open to one another so they were all very close knit and caring. But in her observance of the people on Earth, it seemed to be much more difficult for people to befriend one another. They kept secrets, or lied about themselves in order to impress people. And yet; Kim hardly knew her and had offered her friendship to Vera without asking for anything in return. This helped her feel a little more at home. But also intensified her missing Crystalline, her people, and her brother.

"It's not just my family, my people or my planet at risk; it's Earth too. I can't lose sight of what needs to be done, even if it means ignoring my own heartache."

"You are the strongest person I know, I just hope you realize you're not alone in this and we don't expect you to ignore your feelings just because we need some leadership. Trust me, Tommy is more than fit to lead whenever you need to be giving into your feelings and just lose it." Kim's statement brought a slight smile to Vera's lips, just as she hoped it would. She was doing her best to at least moderately lighten the mood. It hurt to see Vera so upset and so strong, especially when she knew if the roles were reversed she'd never be able to hold it together. Being apart from Tommy was hard enough, but to actually lose him… the thought sent chills through her spine. She'd be an absolute mess if she were in Vera's place.

_"Why dwell on what it'd be like to lose someone if you're going to refuse to own up to your feelings for them?" _There Rue was again, making more sense than Kim cared to acknowledge. Why did it make so much sense when other people summed it up and yet when she tried to talk to him… She shook her head. It was a lot more complicated in her head, but the second people started explaining their opinions and thoughts it all made sense. At least it did whenever Vera and Rue voiced their opinions. And of course whenever she actually did speak with Tommy, he always made sense too.

_"Fret not; you must come to terms with things in your own time. Just know that you are never guaranteed another minute… and neither is your falcon."_

_Ernie's Juice Bar_

"Look, all I'm saying is that you two need to stop being so damn stubborn and just have it out. Yell, cry, hug; do whatever it is that you need to so you can get back to being a team. I know when it comes down to it you'll be there for everyone and do what you've got to for the whole team. But it'll be a lot easier in the long run if you and Kim just get this all patched up." There Jason went again, trying his best to be the good friend and dish out his relationship advice. And could you blame him? When he had a near perfect relationship with Kat, it was never overly annoying to be allowing him to give his opinions on the matter. Tommy gave a rough shrug, finishing off the last of his smoothie and burger. Jason shook his head, not very impressed with Tommy's lack of a response.

"Okay look, I get it; you two have issues. But you know she never left you, that she didn't write you that letter, and that all she wanted was for you to want her; why can't you just admit to her that you've never stopped wanting her?"

"Because there's a lot more than just wanting to be together to make things work out. I hurt her. I let her go all the way to Florida thinking that I didn't want her to stay simply because I thought she wanted something else. How can I go trying to fix things with Kim, try to make it work out, when I still can't figure out what she wants?"

"Seriously man," Tommy and Jason both looked up, surprised at Charlie's entrance into the conversation as he shook his head and looked between them.

"If you can't tell after spending five minutes in a room with her that she is madly in love with you, then you're either blind or in denial. It's not that you don't know what she wants; you just don't trust yourself to be able to make it work this time. You're afraid that you'll try again and make the same mistake. And really, if you're going to act like that about it then you don't deserve to have her. I've not been around you all much, I don't know what it was like when you two were together, but I can see that you both are still gaga over one another but neither of you have the stones to admit it." With that, Charlie walked away shaking his head, obviously beyond annoyed with the ridiculous situation. Tommy stared hard after him for a moment, contemplating going after him to tell him off, but just as the thought crossed his mind; Jason started to laugh.

"You know, I think I'm starting to like him. He's got guts enough to tell you exactly what he thinks, and to walk away from you. What he said has some truth to it, that's why you're getting that irritated look. Don't try to deny it either, I know you man."

"Look, I don't want to get into it all right now. Kim has been through so much. And most of it is all because of me. I want to fix things, but I don't want to hurt her more than I already have." Tommy knew his words weren't going to be enough to satisfy Jason though, especially when his pal rolled his eyes and shoved away from the table.

"It's okay for you to be a coward when it comes to Kim, she's not like most women and you're right; she has been through a lot. So you owe it to her to either man up and be honest with yourself to give it a go; or to tell her you're too afraid and let someone else take your place." After he was finished Jason walked away, joining Edmund, Gwen, Kat and Billy at the counter, leaving Tommy in stunned silence. As much as it pained him, Jason was right. Either he stepped up and fixed things with Kim, or he let her go to be with someone else. His fist clenched tight and he fought off the anger that threatened to push the table over. He wasn't mad at Jason for being honest; he was simply mad that his friend was right. But there was no way in hell he'd let someone else be with Kim as long as he was living and breathing. Kim was _his _girl. _IS _his girl. He'd only just gotten her back in his life, he wasn't about to let his fears keep them from being together.

_"I do believe you should act then, wait too long and you may just miss your chance." _Tommy felt his anger simmer down and melt away as his gem spoke. There was no denying the truth in what everyone was saying; he simply needed to be more honest. He loved Kim with every fiber of his being. He'd never stopped loving her, and that was the reason why his other relationships failed.

_"But enough from me, that's for you to decide." _Phire stopped talking, and instead simply offered a lift in Tommy's mood. At the counter the group seemed to be preparing to head back to Jason's so Tommy stood to join them. Once in the parking lot they met up with Charlie and began to filter into the vehicles.

****_Back at Jason's house _

Vera stood in the kitchen, watching Kim with a curious expression as she began to get out the ingredients for making some cookies. She thought it would be a good way to keep them both distracted and doing something at least a little productive.

"So you think we should do chocolate chip? Most everyone enjoys a good chocolate chip cookie." Kim asked, head in the fridge as she pulled out the milk and eggs. When Vera didn't respond, she looked over her shoulder to see the woman was over at the window looking horrified.

"I believe selecting the type of cookie is the least of our problems. Some armed men are heading up the drive, and they do not look too friendly." Vera said, pointing to two vehicles where six men piled out of. Two of which Kim recognized as the men who Charlie was somehow mixed up with. She frowned and pulled Vera away from the window and out to the back porch. She frantically dialed Jason's cell phone and led Vera out into the woods to escape.

"This isn't good, and despite what you say about being immortal, I really don't feel like pushing my luck with these guys… not again." Kim said in a hushed tone, ducking into the thick brush and waiting for Jason to answer his phone.

****

_En route to Jason's house_

Jason rolled his eyes at the moaning about him turning down the music to answer his phone when he saw Kim's name and picture lighting up the screen.

"What's u-" He got silent as Kim's voice seemed frantic on the other end.

"There are men at the house, they've got weapons. I think they're after Charlie."

"Whoa, Kim are you two still in the house?" Now others in the car looked a little worried, especially as his tone become quite serious and he'd increased the speed of the vehicle.

"No, we're hiding in the woods, but you guys need to be careful and maybe not even come back. Vera and I can find our way through the woods and meet you up the road."

"Okay, just be careful and call if you need anything." Jason said, turning on his hazard lights and pulling off the road, behind him Tommy's jeep followed suit. Kim hung up after assuring that she'd let him know if they needed help.

"What are you doing Jason?" Kat asked curiously, looking rather worried herself.

"Kim said she and Vera and hiding in the woods. Some armed men showed up at the house, she recognized a few as some of the guys after Charlie." Jason got out of the car, followed by Kat as Tommy approached.

"Kim called me, she and Vera are gonna trek through the woods and meet us up the road. There are several armed men at the house looking for Charlie; I figured it might be a good idea for us to hang back and maybe go on foot to meet them in the woods." Tommy's face showed signs of worry that were quickly replaced by determination.

"We can stay at my parent's old house. I haven't gone there in years myself, but it's empty and secluded. I'll lead the way after we get the girls. I just wonder how these guys found your place, I used to get lost coming out here."

"You can't underestimate Vince." This time it was Charlie. His hands in his pockets as he shook his head and looked at them somberly with apologetic eyes, it was clear to see that he had never intended for this to happen.

"I'm sorry that I've roped you all in with my issues with this guy, but apparently there is no getting out alive if you're trying to leave Vince. I think I should go and try to handle things with h-"

"No, that would be suicide. We're just gonna get the girls out and get out of here before someone gets hurt." Tommy interrupted him, feeling quite sorry for the man and his troubled history with the mobster. Who would have figured there was even a mobster in Angel Grove? Charlie gave a sigh, knowing they were right.

"We have to take care of them somehow, they won't stop looking for me and they will get more aggressive and violent."

"That's why we're involving the police." Kat piped up, having just gotten off her own phone.

"While the Power Rangers can handle lots of messes, this is a job that is best handled by police officers. They're getting in some back-up from the surrounding counties, but they are aware of the situation and will handle this. Apparently they've been looking for this Vince fellow." Charlie's face looked shocked, mostly at the thought that he'd never considered involving the authorities. Kat was one smart dame.

"Gotta admit that she's a quick thinker and definitely handled that well." Tommy said with a smile, though it faltered as his eyes drifted to the outline of the woods. The other's followed his gaze and Jason looked down at his phone.

"Should we start making ou-"

"Look! There they are! Wait, I think one of them is hurt!" Gwen called out, pointing in the direction of the wood's outline up the road. Indeed there both women were, but they were moving slow and Vera was leaning on Kim. Kim caught sight of them and waved with a hand, though quickly using it to grab a more steady hold of Vera. She was limping and Kim's ripped shirt was already covered with blood where she'd tried to make a quick bandage on her friend's leg.

"She was shot by a Klyptoid!" Kim called out, the guys already halfway to meeting up with them. Charlie and Jason relieved Kim of Vera, who seemed to be losing consciousness. Once no longer propping up Vera, Kim found herself in a strong, warm embrace. She didn't need to see him to know it was Tommy holding her tightly, she just knew. She began to return the hug, but flinched as his embrace was rather tight and applied too much pressure to the wound on her side. She let out a slight cry of pain and Tommy realized she was hurt.

"No, no I'm fine. We need to tend to Vera. I was only grazed, she lost a lot of blood and-" Tommy took this moment to take her face in his hand and gently hold her for a moment, looking in her eyes with such strong emotion before he dipped down to give her a deep, tender kiss.

* * *

(Since simply saying sorry didn't seem like a good enough apology; I wanted to give you all a chapter ending with a great Tommy and Kim moment. I'll do better at being more active with updating, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was a little long winded and it might be a little hard to follow. I'm a little out of habit and needed to work on it. But I do hope you still can enjoy the read. :D  
~Z.L.)


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